Lakeshore Road West improvements move forward to design stage

At a Special Council meeting held Tuesday night, Town Council received the Preferred Solution proposed in the Environmental Assessment for Lakeshore Road West improvements, and directed staff to proceed to the detailed design phase, incorporating options for Council’s further consideration.

Council directed staff to prepare a detailed design that included:

The decision concludes the Environmental Assessment (EA) study for Lakeshore Road West improvements. A separate EA will be filed for the McCraney Creek Bridge which is in need of replacement, using information gathered from the Lakeshore Road West study.

“We know there are multiple objectives at play,” said Mayor Rob Burton. “We want and need to provide a safe environment for mobility for all; we want and need to preserve and increase our tree canopy; we want and need to respect the characteristics of the scenic corridor and all that makes Lakeshore special. In some cases, we can’t achieve everything to 100 per cent. Council has heard many differing opinions from residents and recognizes a balanced approach is needed.”

The EA includes four and a half years of study, consultation and analysis, covering over six kilometres from Mississauga Street to Dorval Drive. The town conducted an EA Study to assess traffic needs along Lakeshore Road West and find ways to improve vehicle, cyclist, and pedestrian accessibility and safety, including options such as continuous sidewalks, multi-use trails, on-road bike lanes, separated turn lanes, improved intersections, pedestrian crossings, and improvements to pavement and drainage conditions.

A Scenic Corridor Study was completed and endorsed by Council in March 2020, and the findings of that study were incorporated into the Lakeshore EA evaluation.

Opportunities for public input were provided throughout the study including in-person and online public information centres, stakeholder meetings, phone consultation and emails. The EA process allowed for the evaluation of alternative solutions by reviewing them through multiple lenses.

Currently, Lakeshore Road West has sections with bike lanes, sidewalks and multi-use trails, but this infrastructure is not consistent or continuous. In some areas, the space used by pedestrians and cyclists is right beside the lane used by cars and trucks, with no separation between the two, making it particularly unsafe for children, seniors and people using mobility devices. Continuous active transportation infrastructure encourages more people to walk and ride bikes, thereby reducing motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions, but the study found the removal of some trees is necessary to implement the needed infrastructure.

In August 2018, Council directed staff to report back with an option that had no tree or property impacts and limited asphalt or concrete surfaces, while maintaining cycling lanes and continuous sidewalks. However, the project team found there was not an option that met all those elements and addressed the primary goal of road user safety.

“While we could not meet all of the criteria from the August 2018 direction, we were able to significantly reduce the impacts to property and trees,” said Jill Stephen, director of Transportation and Engineering. “Stormwater improvements are required as well as active transportation infrastructure. The recommended solution provides accessibility for all road users, protects the community from flooding risks, addresses climate change impacts, and makes our community more resilient. The detailed design stage will provide further opportunity for fine tuning.”

Detailed design work will begin in early 2022, and will include a consultation program. The design will be presented to Council for approval prior to proceeding to construction.

You can review the July 6 Council meeting on the town’s YouTube channel. For more information, visit the Lakeshore Road West EA and Improvements page.