General Urban Kitchener Updates and Rumours

[panamaniac]

I would imagine once Charlie is finished, Gaukel would be reopened between Charles and King. And it's two way, unlike Ontario. So perhaps keeping that one section of Gaukel and Ontario closed is feasible.

This year's budget included funding for making Gaukel fully pedestrian, Joseph to King. The city plan also mentions doing the same on Cedar St, from the ION station to the market.

I haven't seen much action on Cedar, but I'd consider Gaukel fully committed to at this point. The plan is that it will never reopen to cars after Charlie West is built.

There's no design for the project yet, is there?

[ac3r]

I'd love to see that section of Gaukel permanently closed. It'd make a nice entrance to the park.

I'm confused, though...weren't Greyhound and Megabus buses still using the terminal? Where do they pull out if Gaukel is closed?

[tomh009]

I'm confused, though...weren't Greyhound and Megabus buses still using the terminal? Where do they pull out if Gaukel is closed?

I believe they both enter and exit on Ontario St now. The concrete barriers completely block the exit onto Gaukel St.

[dtkmelissa]

I'm confused, though...weren't Greyhound and Megabus buses still using the terminal? Where do they pull out if Gaukel is closed?

I believe they both enter and exit on Ontario St now. The concrete barriers completely block the exit onto Gaukel St.

Yes, that's correct.

[danbrotherston]

I'm confused, though...weren't Greyhound and Megabus buses still using the terminal? Where do they pull out if Gaukel is closed?

I believe they both enter and exit on Ontario St now. The concrete barriers completely block the exit onto Gaukel St.

AFAIK they don't even pull into the terminal, they just pull up on Ontario St as the GO buses do, which is kind of a shame given there is no shelters or any amenities besides parked cars--par for the course for transit riders.

Also...what greyhounds...I'm pretty sure they've ceased all operations to the region...I certainly haven't seen on out my window in ages...megabus/coach canada is still running their route to Hamilton, which is like 1-2 buses a day.

It's a sorry state of affairs in Ontario right now....I think at the end of COVID we're going to be lucky to have any intercity bus service outside of the GTA at all.

[Momo26]

We already lacked good, relatively quick and frequent transportation to places outside the city. Heck, outside of megabus isn't it impossible to get to Hamilton without a 2.5 hour trip via Square One Mississauga?

The need, Especially pre covid, for seamless connectivity to the GTHA is sorely needed for the K-W region. The 2hr 5min GO train to union doesn't cut it.

[taylortbb]

This year's budget included funding for making Gaukel fully pedestrian, Joseph to King. The city plan also mentions doing the same on Cedar St, from the ION station to the market.

I haven't seen much action on Cedar, but I'd consider Gaukel fully committed to at this point. The plan is that it will never reopen to cars after Charlie West is built.

I'm not sure what their solution to traffic accessing Charlie West, but I think they might end up having a lane open from Charles to Halls Lane.

Halls Lane is two way from Water St to Gaukel St. Charlie West has its garage entrance on Halls Lane, so I suspect that access will just be via Water St. The PUC building parking lot could easily be reconfigured for access via Halls Lane too. I think the Pizza Pizza would present the biggest issue, because they park their delivery vehicles behind the building just off Gaukel.

Also, I think it's Eby not Cedar that's getting the treatment near the market, but I haven't heard anything on that in a while.

Eby would certainly make more sense for the market, and is much less of a through street. Doesn't serve the ION to market connection nearly as well though.

[tomh009]

Cedar runs from Mill St, on the other side of Schneider Creek, to Weber St, where it transforms into Krug St, which in turn runs all the way to River Road. Closing a block of that long street (can't really close between Duke and King due to multiple driveways and the garage) makes for ugly detours to Eby or Cameron, and only a single block for pedestrians.

Closing Eby for its entire contiguous length (two blocks!), from the LRT to Duke, provides two blocks of pedestrian streets, a street marketplace in front of the market and presents far fewer traffic and access issues. If accessing the Eby St side of the market, the walking distance to LRT is basically the same. If accessing the Cedar St side, it's another 100m or so -- but Cedar St does still have sidewalks so that can also be used.

[CedarHillAlum]

Cedar runs from Mill St, on the other side of Schneider Creek, to Weber St, where it transforms into Krug St, which in turn runs all the way to River Road. Closing a block of that long street (can't really close between Duke and King due to multiple driveways and the garage) makes for ugly detours to Eby or Cameron, and only a single block for pedestrians.

Closing Eby for its entire contiguous length (two blocks!), from the LRT to Duke, provides two blocks of pedestrian streets, a street marketplace in front of the market and presents far fewer traffic and access issues. If accessing the Eby St side of the market, the walking distance to LRT is basically the same. If accessing the Cedar St side, it's another 100m or so -- but Cedar St does still have sidewalks so that can also be used.

A small totally insignificant point, but Cedar does not connect to Mill Street; Cedar stops at Whitney Place.

[tomh009]

You are right! I was mixing up Cedar and Madison on that side. Sorry about that.

[tomh009]

The new sidewalks on Queen St N (between King and Duke) look nice and wide, too, except right at the intersections.

   

[Momo26]

I was disappointed to see what they did on Queen from Charles to King. Just widen sidewalk? IMO That's not a revitalization of a block. I was expecting a lot more.

[tomh009]

I was disappointed to see what they did on Queen from Charles to King. Just widen sidewalk? IMO That's not a revitalization of a block. I was expecting a lot more.

What more would you have done, given that there is no municipal property there to work with? (And, no, I don't think turning it into a pedestrian street would have been approved.)

Personally I am pleased that it is much more pedestrian-friendly now. No dedicated bike lanes, but they would not have fit without cutting down the sidewalks, and hopefully Ontario/Gaukel will be bicycle-friendly in the future.

[kitborn]

I was disappointed to see what they did on Queen from Charles to King. Just widen sidewalk? IMO That's not a revitalization of a block. I was expecting a lot more.

Wait until Vogelsang Green is completed. It will look great.

[panamaniac]

I was disappointed to see what they did on Queen from Charles to King. Just widen sidewalk? IMO That's not a revitalization of a block. I was expecting a lot more.

Is the corner of Queen and Charles finished?  I don't think we've seen a pic yet ....