We heard good news from York Region at July 9 Council: the project to improve King Road between Highways 400 and 27 has been substantially scaled back. The EA to widen it has been cancelled. There will be modifications to 5 intersections on King Road to improve safety: the Weston Road, the 7th, the 8th, Mill Road, 27th.
As I reviewed in an earlier posting the rationale for the project had been projections showing traffic volumes exceeding capacity by 2031; in addition there are steep road grades and some poor sight lines. Updated data indicates that the traffic volume is not growing at rate as originally anticipated; it is now predicted that the volume will not meet the critical threshold until 2021-2031. Hence, a comparable EA will likely be proposed and initiated again in 2014/15. As many of us argued that the EA parameters were faulty in that it was not incorporating the impact of two other potential highway projects (Mid York East-West corridor, GTA West Corridor) this later timing is also good in that there may be clarity on the other projects by then. The prospect of widening King Road is very serious because of the impact on many natural heritage features and the impact on the villages of Nobleton and King City; hence it is extremely important that any assessment is done with the best volume projections.
Councillor Mortelliti took advantage of the YR presentation to remind YR that we have asked for a bypass for both King City and Nobleton. A solution to this request would negate the need for widening King Road.
Hi Debbie:
I was surprised that you thought that the widening of the King Road Environmental Assessment would recommence in two years time.
Just in case I had mistaken about what the Regional Representative David Atkins had said at King Council, I checked with him. Here is his response:
“…Councillor Schaeffer was likely referring to the next update to the Transportation Master Plan, which we told King Council will happen in 2014/2015.
“Regarding this specific corridor, we told Council that the the corridor will be monitored and and a new EA commenced if/when it is required, and that we don’t foresee that happening until sometime towards the end of this decade or the beginning of the next one.”
So we should have a reprieve on the widening of the King Road EA for at least eight years.
Thanks Nancy for following up to get the correct timeline. Debbie