General Road and Highway Discussion

[danbrotherston]

I think putting the bike access on Homer Watson sells the Stirling/Avalon neighbourhood a bit short, especially if they want access to Zehrs or Lowe's. Going from the top of Strasburg is far more direct.

Of course, an ideal solution would be implementing both.

You're entirely right that the bridge is more meaningful for that community. But given that in the media the bridge is being attributed to "cycling" and not "neighbourhood connectivity" NOR "transit connectivity" (which is the actual motivation), and certain loud and powerful groups in the neighbourhood strongly opposed it, I have not that much sympathy.

As usual though, the bridge is a massive subsidy to drivers, the only reason it is required is because of the freeway.

Here's my compromise, build the Homer-Watson cycling connection, that's just a no brainer.

If you want to build the bridge to Strasburg, you bill it to MTO's road budget. 

And while you're at it you redevelop the entire mall, and the property next to it, the interchange on the other side, and the property kitty corner to it, into a massive mixed use urban town center with 20-40 thousand homes, and hundreds of businesses, and a high frequency transit connector to the LRT.

Okay, maybe I'm just a little aspirational there. But wouldn't that be like...an actual good plan.