West Ridge Boulevard, that often traffic-choked road between Highway 12 and University Avenue, will be widened to five lanes in 2019.
Council committee gave the $2.4-million project the green light this week. The decision needs to be ratified at the regular meeting of council Thursday night.
The widening would pave the way for two through lanes in each direction and a turning lane for those looking to veer off to the big-box stores to the east or the residential streets on the west.
“This should create more gaps in the West Ridge Boulevard traffic flow and provide for greater ease of turning movements from West Ridge Boulevard to the side streets and from the side streets at non-signalized intersections onto West Ridge Boulevard,” said a report presented to councillors.
The road widening has been anticipated for a long time; the need was identified in the city’s 2011 Transportation Master Plan.
It was also promised by the city in 2016 when the municipality signed an agreement with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, vowing to complete three phases of work in conjunction with the province’s promise to improve and widen Highway 12.
Here is what was agreed to in 2016:
- Phase 1 – Addition of a second right-hand turn lane on the Highway 11 southbound off-ramp where it meets Highway 12. Construction of that phase was completed in 2016.
- Phase 2 – Addition of second westbound left-hand turn lanes on Highway 12 at the West Ridge Boulevard and at the Monarch Drive intersections and a second northbound right-hand turn lane on Monarch Drive at the Highway 12 intersection. Construction on that phase is currently underway.
- Phase 3 - Addition of a second southbound through lane in 2019 on West Ridge Boulevard between Bass Lake Sideroad East and Hunter Valley Road. This lane is required to receive traffic from the second westbound left turn lane that is being added this year on Highway 12 at the West Ridge Boulevard intersection. Design is currently underway.
While the widening was approved, Coun. Tim Lauer pushed city staff to incorporate medians into the design of the new five-lane road.
“It just seems to me that all over the world they seem to put medians in and, for some reason, we can’t,” lamented Lauer.
He said there are parts of the thoroughfare that don’t require turning lanes that would make ideal spots for medians that would “soften the starkness of a five-lane roadway.”
Staff said they would try to accommodate the idea when the project is designed.
Coun. Ted Emond also voted in favour of the widening, but noted, once again, north-ward residents were being neglected.
“We have delayed refurbishing of Laclie Street, which is a major arterial road in the north part of the city, first for waterfront and now this project is (jumping) the que,” said Emond. “I would strongly urge the next council to be clear with folks when it is we plan to reconstruct Laclie Street.”
Ian Sugden, the city’s director of development service and engineering development services, said the West Ridge project was not ‘jumping the que.’ He said the five-laning of the road was planned and in the works for several years.
There is one, potentially costly problem, that could impact the project. A noise study must be completed prior to the project.
There is a possibility, staff warned, that a noise study could determine the need for a noise wall on the west side of West Ridge. Such a wall would likely be in the $2 million range.
“If it’s determined a noise wall is required, we would certainly have to come back to council to” discuss options, said Stan Martinello, the city’s project engineer.
