What's wrong with the College Ave. Extension
It has the potential to bring more traffic and speeders into Kortright Hills.
More traffic means more noise, and more exhaust pollutants and these will negatively impact our quality of life, health and safety.
Our school is on Ptarmigan and we cannot support any road option that will potentially increase traffic in front of the school.
The College Ave Extension is designed to connect to the new Stone Rd. extension which crosses the Speed River to connect to Elmira Road to form part of an “inner ring road system” that connects to Highway 7. This will create a new north south roadway network that will bring more traffic into ours and other residential neighbourhoods.
The estimated 1994 cost of the College Ave and Stone Rd. extensions was $7.5 million. These figures are 13 years-old and would probably be over $20 million or more in today’s dollars.
The College Ave Extension cuts through an ecologically sensitive and provincially significant wetland and wooded area and involves a new crossing of the Hanlon Creek right beside the Kortright Waterfowl Park. The new road would cross public land owned by the Grand River Conservation Authority. The ecological damage to the wetland and wooded areas would be immense and irreparable. Anyone who walks the trails in this area can tell you how beautiful and special this area is to both people and wildlife. The wetland forms a vital link to the larger Speed River Wetland which is a major deer wintering area.
Cutting of the mature trees will reduce our air quality.
It makes no sense to build an expensive road through an area where no one lives!
Since this is a municipal road and not part of the Hanlon upgrades, the cost to build and maintain the road will be borne by the City of Guelph and us as taxpayers not the MTO.
Roads require large amounts of gravel. How much fill will the College Avenue extension require?
Road salt and other contaminants from vehicles will pollute the Hanlon Creek and damage the remaining trees and wetland.
Large potential for road kill of deer and injury and death of humans from vehicular collisions with deer, as there is a major deer corridor through this area.
Existing poor sight lines and road grades at Niska and Ptarmigan intersection are already causing traffic accidents.
Any increase in traffic on Niska will only create more problems and delay at the Niska/Downey intersection. In 2005 the Niska/Downey intersection ranked 4th in priority out of 30 unsignalized intersections being monitored by the city on the basis of vehicle volume and collision hazard. Downey and Woodland Glen was #7 on the priority list, and Laird and Downey was #21 (this despite a number of fatal vehicular collisions in the last 5 years at this particular intersection).
Any and all of the interchanges options as presented will negatively impact residents and businesses in adjacent neighborhoods and streets not just Kortright Hills.