A railway underpass may be on its way to Edinburgh Road.
Consultants looking into the safety and operation of level crossings along the Metrolinx line are urging the city to consider taking traffic below the railway crossing on Edinburgh Road just north of Waterloo Avenue. They also recommend the city monitor other road crossings for potential future actions, as well as build infrastructure to create active transportation connections in other spots.
Metrolinx is the company behind GO Transit, which has a stated goal of achieving all-day, two-way trains connecting Guelph and Toronto.
“We’re really at the beginning of the overall process,” Terry Gayman, the city’s general manager of engineering, said of the potential underpass. “At the end of the day, it’s about keeping the community connected.”
At this point, the consultant’s recommendation is that city officials conduct an environmental assessment of the underpass option on Edinburgh Road, between Paisley Street and Waterloo Avenue – undertaking a thorough review of traffic volumes, speeds, costs and impacts.
Funding for just such a study is already in place, said Gayman, who said it could start next year and would take up to two years to complete. At that point, it’ll be up to council to decide whether to go ahead with an underpass and place it into the infrastructure work plans.
The consultant’s recommendation is for consideration of an underpass to be built in the next 10 to 15 years.
“Existing level rail crossings can be maintained with the exception of the Edinburgh Road crossing where grade separation should be considered based on significant queuing, vehicle delays, and rail/traffic volume analysis,” states a consultants’ presentation posted online, which can be downloaded here.
In response, the city is set to host two virtual open house events next week to field questions from the public.
“The technical memo on grade separations shows conceptual underpass and overpass designs and their potential property impacts. Community members may have questions about what this means,” said a city news release.
The first session is set for this coming Monday, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Click here to join.
The second takes place next Wednesday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Click here to join.
Metrolinx road crossings on Alma, Yorkshire and Glasgow streets as well as Watson Road.
“Traffic operation and safety at the other level rail crossings, particularly at Alma Street, are to be monitored,” consultants suggest.
Metrolinx and the city closed off Dublin Street to all vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians at the rail crossing during the summer of 2020. Fencing was installed and cement barriers put in place to prevent anyone from going over the tracks.
Earlier this year, Metrolinx officials confirmed no additional road level crossings will need to be closed.
A street-level crossing for active transportation is now recommended for the crossing on Dublin.
Consultants also looked at active transportation crossings on Cityview Drive and at Margaret Greene Park. A tunnel or bridge is urged for the prior, while the latter should have a tunnel.
