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New Trail Study for Farmers Market

New Trail Study for Farmers Market

Trail update

A Public Information Centre (PIC) was held on Thursday Nov. 30, 2017 at the Albert McCormick Community Centre. The presentation boards that were presented at the PIC are not accessible in their current format.

In addition to the PIC, stakeholder meetings were held throughout the month of November with agencies such as Union Gas and adjacent business owners. Some of the themes the project team heard,

  • Safety, such as lighting and crossing major roads;
  • Connections to adjacent businesses;
  • What would happen to the current Trans Canada Trail alignment.

Background

An exciting new study to investigate realigning the Trans Canada Trail between Waterloo and the Township of Woolwich has recently commenced (see the notice of commencement). Consultants WSP have been retained to assist in this work.

The City of Waterloo, in conjunction with the Region of Waterloo and Township of Woolwich are collaborating to determine if it is feasible to connect the Trans Canada Trail along the rail corridor between the Research and Technology Park in Waterloo to Farmers Market Road in Woolwich. Currently, the trail diverts westwards away from the existing rail corridor towards Westmount Road connecting to Woolwich via Benjamin Road, an approximate diversion of around 3.5 km.

Realigning this trail was initially identified in both regional and city cycling plans. Ultimately, constructing this trail would form an important and virtually direct multi-modal corridor connecting the Township of Woolwich to Kitchener-Waterloo and beyond. Completing this section would see the Trans Canada Trail finished between Woolwich all the way south to Port Dover on Lake Erie (a length of approximately 120 km).

Goals of the study

Transportation goals of this study are to:

  • provide more transportation choice between communities in the Waterloo region;
  • provide tourism, commuter and recreational opportunities between the new ION system, Waterloo Central Railway (WCR) and the St. Jacob's Farmers market employment area;
  • connect residential neighbourhoods and local employment areas to the trail; and
  • attract residents and visitors to cycling and walking.

The study will examine how a trail can be physically accommodated within the rail right-of-way, identify issues and constraints and provide a basis for an action plan. This plan would then be used to solicit future funding opportunities to construct the trail.

Funding

Funding for this study is provided by the Federal Government of Canada through the Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF). Funding timelines require the study to be completed by March 31, 2018.

Study details

Based on time constraints of the funding program, the study has been divided into two distinct parts:


Stage one - Farmers Market Road to ION station at Northfield Drive

  • Prepare the detailed design of a multi-use trail within the existing rail corridor between Farmers Market Road and Northfield Drive, including the proposed WCR tourist train

Stage two - ION station at Northfield Drive to ION station in Research and Technology Park

  • Investigate options for a preferred route alignment between Northfield Drive and the existing Trans Canada Trail route in the Research and Technology Park

MORE INFO AVAILABLE HERE

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