Hwy. 401/8 Interchange

[WaterlooInvestor]

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She's absolutely right about that interchange. Something needs to be done fast. Whenever I come back to Cambridge in the evening rush hour, I always see the 401 backed up with almost all of the traffic trying to exit onto highway 8. It lightens up around Franklin, but it's terrible between Hespeler Rd. and highway 8.

I think the solutions proposed are perfect. There should have been a flyover going from the eastbound 401 to highway 8 in the first place. There should also be a westbound exit onto the 401 when going south on highway 8. As far as the Speedsville Road interchange, that will be a big project. They will need to move Rogers Road into Riverside Park elsewhere.

As far as the subdivision that was proposed off Limerick road, isn't that around where Conestoga College is proposing its expansion though? I'd much rather see that land used for the college than used for the construction of another bedroom community subdivision (it's right off the 401, so that's inevitably who will mostly move in).

[TripleQ]

Originally Posted by WaterlooInvestor

Plans to widen Highway 401 to 10 lanes through are already well advanced

Really? Not that I've been following this closely, but that seems wide?

Originally Posted by TripleQ

Really? Not that I've been following this closely, but that seems wide?

It is, but I'm sure they mean 5 lanes each way. That's the part of this plan I'm most skeptical about. I get the whole idea of having efficient interchanges and highway access for industry, but I don't like the idea of building your way out of congestion, which the 10-lane idea seems to be trying to accomplish.

[kitchener-lrt]

Originally Posted by Cambridgite

As far as the subdivision that was proposed off Limerick road, isn't that around where Conestoga College is proposing its expansion though? I'd much rather see that land used for the college than used for the construction of another bedroom community subdivision (it's right off the 401, so that's inevitably who will mostly move in).

Nope, but that's what I though right away. The college is planning on building a campus right across from the new pedestrian bridge that was just built. This housing development is planned for the section of land on the Cambridge side of the Grand River, right before King/401.

Originally Posted by kitchener-lrt

Nope, but that's what I though right away. The college is planning on building a campus right across from the new pedestrian bridge that was just built. This housing development is planned for the section of land on the Cambridge side of the Grand River, right before King/401.

Alright, gotcha. But both the college campus and the housing development are on the Cambridge side. South of the 401 is Cambridge. And both developments lie south of the 401, north of Fountain, and between the Homer Watson and King St. E/Shantz Hill Rd exits.

There's some more information about the housing development in today's edition of the Record. The First Nations strike again...

http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/301564

Here's an interesting article about the rush hour congestion going down Fountain street into Preston from the Cambridge Business Park. Something needs to be done, but I'm not sure what. Here's the article though.

http://www.bobmcmullen.ca/e_05_004.html

[DHLawrence]

He's got a point about Fountain/King widening--except for a right-turn lane from King to Fountain, there's nowhere for the road to go. Hopefully the Kossuth/Fairway bypass will help some, but I'm not totally convinced about his Speedsville Road suggestion.

His comments about using the map at Cambridge Centre and Lego are a bit patronizing...

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

His comments about using the map at Cambridge Centre and Lego are a bit patronizing...

LOL. He sounds pretty pissed. He probably lives in a house right off Fountain street and grew up there before there was all that traffic and industry to the north and now he can't back out of his driveway...I dunno.

[DHLawrence]

I wonder what century that was...

Once that hotel/conference centre goes in, I can foresee the day when the whole strip of houses on the Kress side disappears in favour of widening. Can't imagine that The Pines would be happy to lose their front lawn in favour of a lane, and there's no way Preston Springs is going to be levelled. Wouldn't miss that garage on the corner, though.

Traffic on King will probably ease off a bit when the inevitable occurs and Dover Flour Mills moves to another site up near Franklin or Speedsville. They can't stay on that corner forever with all those trucks backing in and pulling out all the time.

[bobmcmu]

No folks, I am of this century.

[bobmcmu]

First, some answers: not pissed off, from this century, raised in the amazing metropolis of Toronto and do not live near Fountain St. Just a regular citizen who has participated in the frequently failed transportation process for Cambridge. I think that the point has been missed: why build greenfield subdivisions, brownfield infill housing, and industrial parks IF YOU DO NOT FIRST PLAN for transportation? You cannot produce a long term transportation plan that Cambridge Council has approved ..... does not exist.
Also,compare the date of the newspaper column reporting the response from Cambridge planners and with the date of my presentation to Regional Council .... knee jerk reaction comes to mind. "Planning is politics and politics is planning". btw, in the city comments, identify one long term planning initiative taken from a Cambridge network plan, and not a Regional or Provincial plan?

Originally Posted by bobmcmu

First, some answers: not pissed off, from this century, raised in the amazing metropolis of Toronto and do not live near Fountain St. Just a regular citizen who has participated in the frequently failed transportation process for Cambridge. I think that the point has been missed: why build greenfield subdivisions, brownfield infill housing, and industrial parks IF YOU DO NOT FIRST PLAN for transportation? You cannot produce a long term transportation plan that Cambridge Council has approved ..... does not exist.
Also,compare the date of the newspaper column reporting the response from Cambridge planners and with the date of my presentation to Regional Council .... knee jerk reaction comes to mind. "Planning is politics and politics is planning". btw, in the city comments, identify one long term planning initiative taken from a Cambridge network plan, and not a Regional or Provincial plan?

Hey, nice to see how quickly you found this forum. Welcome aboard!

I agree with you about transportation in Cambridge. It's an absolute mess on so many levels. Your example is one of many. Have you driven on Franklin Blvd lately? I'm always worried I'm going to blow a tire there because of all the potholes. North/south traffic is miserable because we never planned ahead to put in a north/south highway connecting to the 401 (or even the highway 8 by-pass on the west side that was scrapped). And Cambridge had the opportunity to do this early on, since it was an amalgamation community that had plenty of open land. It's too late now.

If you think you have it bad right now in Preston, you should check out how North Hespeler is going to unfold in the next couple of years. Ever been on Blackbridge road? Well, you're going to have hundreds of cars driving on that road every day soon. Many will drive to Townline via Blackbridge and it will be fun, since the bridge that crosses the Speed River can only fit one car at a time. Others will crowd up Guelph Avenue heading south, congesting more residential areas, and downtown Hespeler. And there aren't even any commercial services planned for the subdivision, so no trips will be contained in the area. Absolutely rediculous...

So what do we do about this? I don't see growth stopping anytime soon, so what's your solution?

[bobmcmu]

Yes, I am aware of the north-east Cambridge plans ... 900 residents .... as chair of the trails committee I argued for non-auto links to 'downtown' old Hespeler. Also in my trails capacity, we planned for trails and cycle lanes in the 900 new home greenfield development in the south-east section of Cambridge.

Growth patterns are changing slight with the advent of brownfield developments. The provincial 40% factor guides future planning, but is going to bring about significant housing pattern changes. My problem is that Councils have made very little effort to publicize and to educate residents about these coming changes. For example, I lived only 5 blocks from my employed for 27 years. Perhaps, the choice to drive significant distances each day will have a new price tag attached to it.

I still insist that proper long term planning should have started may years ago .... and remember, membership at Cambridge Council has not changed much in 3 terms, thus they are totally responsible for the current situation. Even though they would like to blame it on the bald eagle, or as often the case, the Region. So my approach is to stay knowledgeable, involved and protective of my neighbourhood.
Bob

Originally Posted by bobmcmu

Yes, I am aware of the north-east Cambridge plans ... 900 residents .... as chair of the trails committee I argued for non-auto links to 'downtown' old Hespeler. Also in my trails capacity, we planned for trails and cycle lanes in the 900 new home greenfield development in the south-east section of Cambridge.

Good job.

If you look at a GRT system map of the region, you'll see that KW's trail system is much more extensive than Cambridge's. KW's trail system winds through all kinds of residential neighborhoods and connects people to important destinations, such as downtown, uptown, the universities, and various malls. Cambridge's trail system is mostly focused along the Grand and Speed Rivers. While this was a good idea, I don't think they provided enough in terms of cross-town linkages throughout the city. They desperately need bike lanes on Franklin and pedestrian overpasses over the 401 as well.

Originally Posted by bobmcmu

Growth patterns are changing slight with the advent of brownfield developments. The provincial 40% factor guides future planning, but is going to bring about significant housing pattern changes. My problem is that Councils have made very little effort to publicize and to educate residents about these coming changes.

Indeed. A lot of people I talk to don't even know about rapid transit and the RGMS before I tell them about it.

Originally Posted by bobmcmu

For example, I lived only 5 blocks from my employed for 27 years. Perhaps, the choice to drive significant distances each day will have a new price tag attached to it.

Yep, in the form of rising gas prices.

[bobmcmu]

Well, to start I would not agree with your comments about the Kitchener trail network ..... Kitchener does not publish a map showing both trails and cycle routes, and nothing has been done on the north-south route (TCT) since 2000. Not certain if you have seen the Cambridge cycle/trail map? Can mail one to you, or drop in to the city, they are free for the asking. We clearly have links to neighbourhoods to virtually every neighbourhood, and madatory in all new subdivision.. For example, the single busiest trail is the Northview Heights links a shopping centre , 4 separate neighbourhoods and GRT. We completed the riverbank system first because it was a natural link with all 3 former communities. Unless the new Franklin ESA changes things, you will not see bikelanes .... so why not use the existing dedicated cycle lanes on Conestoga Blvd and then Elgin and Northview? http://www3.sympatico.ca/bobmcmu/ctacmap.htm

But my focus is still on the proposed residential plans, greenfield & infill, without any significant road network changes in the last 3 decades. CanAmera Pkwy is nice, but how does it help north-south travel. But there is always the Cambridge Council solution to traffic problems ..... blame the Region!

[DHLawrence]

I was wondering if anyone could answer this for me; what is this concrete patch at the 401/8 interchange near King Street? It's always been there, and I have no idea what its function is/was.

Originally Posted by DHLawrence

I was wondering if anyone could answer this for me; what is this concrete patch at the 401/8 interchange near King Street? It's always been there, and I have no idea what its function is/was.

Funny, I've never seen that before...probably because it's in the woods! I have no clue what it is/was. All I know is that is prime land for any kind of commercial development, with such close access to highways 401 and 8.

[waterloowarrior]

iirc it is mto land

Originally Posted by waterloowarrior

iirc it is mto land

It would make sense for it to be. They really need an onramp to the westbound 401 from highway 8. I came back from Waterloo the other day at the evening rush hour and went to fill up at the Petro by King/Sportsworld. I couldn't believe the amount of traffic heading towards the 401. Has Woodstock seen a housing boom?