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Transportation for Liveable Communities (TLC) a working group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster. PO Box 19 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton ON, Canada, L8S 1C0 905-525-9140 ext. 26026 |
[Go to June 2005 letter]
December 30, 2005
Transportation for Liveable Communities (TLC) is a volunteer working group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group at McMaster University. TLC seeks to improve conditions and infrastructure that supports and actively encourages healthy and sustainable transportation modes, including walking, transit, cycling and car pooling.
TLC is very pleased to see that the preferred option for Valley Inn Road involves creating a car-free area by closing the road to vehicles and replacing the existing bridge with a pedestrian bridge.
TLC feels that this will enhance the environment and the integrity of the natural area at the mouth of Grindstone Creek, and strengthen pedestrian and cycling links between Burlington and Hamilton while reducing road maintenance costs.
This project is an important link in the larger trails development plans with the proposed bike lanes along York Blvd. Because this is such an important link for cyclists TLC would like to have assurance that the bridge structure at Valley Inn is designed to accommodate cyclists and pedestrian traffic in a safe and clear manner, i.e. wide enough and marked to ensure safe passage for both modes.
Further, TLC would like to suggest limiting traffic from the east off Spring Garden Road. The options presented during the last open house suggest possibilities including making a turn-around for cars at the bottom of the hill on the east side of the bridge (presented as option 1) or a turn-around for cars at the top of Spring Gardens (presented as option 2). TLC supports the second option (option 2) of a turn-around at the top of Spring Gardens: the short distance down Spring Gardens to the bridge should be limited to vehicles from the (one) residence and service vehicles from the Royal Botanical Gardens and the City and emergency vehicles, leaving the roadway otherwise available for cyclist and pedestrian traffic. Doing so would enhance the entire project by making the pedestrian (including wheelchair) and cycling amenities safer while avoiding the future construction of an expensive and intrusive separate pedestrian/cyclist trail beside the existing Spring Gardens Road.
In closing we would like to thank you for the opportunity for input into this worthy project.
Transportation for Liveable Communities
re. Valley Inn Bridge EA
Transportation for Liveable Communities is a volunteer working group of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group at McMaster University. TLC seeks to improve conditions and infrastructure that supports and actively encourages healthy and sustainable transportation modes, including walking, transit, cycling and car pooling.
Car Free areas, especially adjacent to significant environmental areas like the Harbour and Grindstone Creek are an aspect of liveable communities, giving citizens and tourists access to tranquil natural areas while limiting negative environmental impacts of automobile traffic: "Traffic safety, traffic noise and local air pollution, affordability, impervious surface coverage (i.e., the portion of land devoted to roads and parking), preservation of environmental and cultural structures, and opportunities for recreation are all livability factors." (Litman, http://www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm97.htm)
As Smart Growth initiatives and in-fill begin to re-shape our cities, we need to protect and enhance the valuable natural assets we have. The Harbour, and in particular the area at the mouth of Grindstone Creek, is a natural asset to be enjoyed by the local community and visitors to the region. Making areas of environmental sensitivity more attractive by limiting car traffic would be a boost for the entire region, both in terms of limiting pollution and road/bridge repair/maintenance costs locally, and more broadly, in terms of city image as an attractive and beautiful city with easy access to car-free natural areas.
Valley Inn Road already serves as an important link in the regional cycling network, and lends itself to low impact transportation options suggested by the car-free option. The cycling and pedestrian environment would be made safer by restricting automobile traffic.
The prohibitive financial costs of maintaining, replacing and/or upgrading the bridge, plus the likely negative cost to the natural area due to such construction, should be seen as an opportunity for ecological enhancement with beneficial impacts for human and non-human species. "From an ecological perspective this could be called the principle of least effort....the idea that maximum environmental, economic and social benefits are available from minimum resources and energy." (Hough, Michael. The City and Natural Process, 18)
The minuscule amount of automobile traffic using the road will not be negatively impacted since such traffic is well served by nearby roads.
TLC would like to see the Valley Inn bridge maintained as a pedestrian and cyclist link, while closing the bridge to automobile traffic.
Thanks for your attention to this matter. Please don't hesitate to contact TLC with any questions or concerns.
TLC root URL is www.tlchamilton.org