Советники Китченера потребовали от региона решить проблему пробок в районе Бриджпорт

Kitchener councillors are calling on their regional counterparts to address “a serious traffic concern” with tie-ups in the Bridgeport area. The issue came up again this week as council considered a proposed 113-unit development in the Stanley Avenue and Schweitzer Street area. While councillors ultimately approved the plan, along with amendments aimed at addressing concerns around height and privacy, they also agreed to formally ask the region to look at addressing traffic concerns as soon as possible. Among some area residents’ objections to the grouping of townhouses and semi-detached homes are fears that more cars will mean more problems in the traffic-choked area. In the area, Lancaster Street, Bloomingdale Road and Bridge Street — including the two-lane bridge over the Grand River — are all controlled by the Region of Waterloo. While regional staff didn’t find a need for any road improvements specifically as a result of this development, a broader mobility plan is underway that could identify future projects, a city report noted. The Kitchener Fire Department also didn’t have concerns with the proposed development. “Send them down at five o’clock,” countered longtime resident James Orsan. “See how they make it to my house when I’m having a heart attack again.” Residents have argued that the traffic study prepared for the developer was too limited and didn’t properly account for other residential and commercial developments in the area. “The important takeaway here … is there’s a serious traffic concern that we do not have the ability to address ourselves in a two-tier municipal system,” said Coun. Scott Davey. “I am not satisfied with the region’s addressing of it so far. Lancaster Street to the bridge and the roundabout are absolute bottlenecks.” Coun. Bil Ioannidis said one of the future improvements being cited is the provincial plan to build twin bridges over the Grand River as part of the long-awaited Highway 7 project. “If we don’t have a plan, and we’re just expecting a bridge from the province to build Highway 7, we know how long that’s been going on. That’s a serious concern for me.” A representative for the Stanley Avenue and Schweitzer Street project said the developer is adding an outdoor children’s play area in response to questions about additional amenity space. Park improvements are also planned for nearby Schaefer Park, with construction likely starting in fall 2027. Council approved amendments addressing overlook concerns that stipulate the new semis backing onto existing Schweitzer Street homes can’t have second-floor balconies and are capped at a height of two storeys (nine metres), rather than the 11-metre maximum allowed by the zoning bylaw. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.