Climbing Up on Greensville Hill

TLC members will recall taking part in an Environmental Assessment process to look at the plans for cycling and pedestrian access up the Highway 8 hill between Dundas and Greensville, back in 2010.

The City Cycling page contains this statement: "Hwy 8 crossing the escarpment - between Greensville (Park Avenue) and Dundas (Bond Street), a study is finalized for future implementation," however, the "a study is finalized" link leads to a page with no final study, just references like:

"Due to public input and study scope changes this project is no longer following a Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process. It is now referred to as "Highway 8 Bond Street to Park Avenue Study"

There doesn't appear to be any information on what is being planned for this site. I e-mailed the project leaders and they got back to me right away.

"The study’s website will be updated when we’ve finalized the last documentation. Basically the study has changed since its inception, due to public feedback. The projects identified/changed by the study no longer require/trigger EA process to be followed so we are not going to be following this process as originally planned. We have finalized the last planning concepts with the input from the Community Liaison Committee and will be sending out a newsletter in the New Year 2013. The study scope has changed and study area increased to accommodate transportation as well as drainage issues. 

We have you on the mailing list for this project and so you will receive a copy of the newsletter when it’s been sent out. Once you have received it please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. 

 Thank you, Margaret Margaret Fazio, B.Sc., C.C.E.P., MCIP, RPP

I have as many questions now as when I contacted them. Why and how the study has changed remains a mystery at this point. What was the public feedback? Who is the Community Liaison Committee?

Looks like we will wait for an update in the New Year, and hope that pedestrians and cyclists concerns are addressed as part of the new finalized study.

The city cycling plan "Shifting Gears" has two projects marked for this area:

162. Bike Lane

Highway 8 from Brock to Hillcrest. Includes road reconstruction: $69 000.

176. Multi-Use Path

Hwy 8, Bond to Hillcrest, multi-use path on south side
$654,000

It remains to be seen how these projects will do given the unknowns before us.