Provides for a transformed Bloor community corridor that will include:
- Improved lighting for people walking, cycling and motorists
- Enhanced boulevards
- Additional 200 plus trees all along the community corridor
- Greening and making intersections more welcoming through practical and low impact development landscaping
Provides economic benefits for local shops and retailers along the corridor.
According to a study released by Portland State University’s Transportation Research and Education Center in Oregon, bicycle lanes and infrastructure can produce tangible economic benefits for cities.
The National Street Improvements Study, researched the economic effects of bicycle infrastructure on 14 corridors across six cities — Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Memphis, Minneapolis and Indianapolis. It found that improvements such as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure had either positive or non-significant impacts on the local economy as measured through sales and employment
Provides for a more enjoyable neighbourhood experience.
Narrower and fewer lanes on the street will result in less speeding and fewer vehicles passing through the neighbourhood, enabling people to enjoy a more pleasant atmosphere with decreased street noise and vehicle pollution.
Provides the opportunity for reduction in infrastructure costs.
Improved sidewalks and protected bike lanes cost only a fraction of taxpayer money to upkeep compared to the same distance of road. This is because roads are significantly heavier and require more space therefore are much harder on the roads than pedestrians and bicycles.
Provides the ability for safe connections to parks, shops and neighbourhoods along the corridor.
Option 6 includes new signalized pedestrian mid-block crossings proposed at:
- Little Etobicoke Creek/Applewood Trail
- Off Road Trail #11
This will allow residents to safely connect into neighbourhoods, parks and other streets.
Residents living in these neighbourhoods will have the opportunity to walk, cycle, and/or drive whether they are going to work, school, an event, the park, community centre, appointments, running daily errands, doing their shopping, visiting a friend or relative in the local community or beyond.
Provides safe walking and cycling infrastructure for all residents.
- School-aged children can make their own way to school with all the benefits of building independence and an active lifestyle with the investment in safe walking and cycling infrastructure
- Reduces the risk of potential dangerous times for kids such as, morning and afternoon drop-offs
- Provides all road users the opportunity to get to work and community programs while also providing a space for community connection for families and seniors with the infrastructure to walk for leisure and exercise
Walking and cycling have huge public health benefits, reducing the incidence of diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer, and improving mental health, lessening the burden of healthcare.
Providing increased opportunities for walking, cycling and transit means lower greenhouse gas emissions.
These reductions are necessary to help meet the targets that we have agreed to as a City and as a community.
Public Consultation and Feedback
| Thank you to all those who have contributed your voices, your ideas, your passion and compassion to the Bloor Street Integrated Road Project to date.
The public consultation process and feedback received regarding the Bloor Street Integrated Road project has been extensive.
I along with City staff have connected and received feedback from residents, business and stakeholders in a wide variety of ways, including:
· Individual meetings and a group meeting with local residents’ associations
· 3 community meetings for both local and broader Ward 3 residents
· In-person community meeting workshop for both residents and businesses
· Meetings and surveys for local businesses
· Survey for residents that were available online, by phone and email
· Meetings and outreach to local schools, students, staff and the community participating in the School Streets Project including St. Alfred Separate School and Brian W. Fleming Public School
· Direct mail postcard to more than 9,000 local residents
· Print newsletter updates
· Email updates
The feedback in the staff report, recommending Alternative 6, reflects priorities that myself and the Ward 3 office team have been hearing from residents through the public consultation process, as well as throughout my time on City Council:
- To make our streets safer for all road users
- To consistently look for opportunities to connect our communities and local neighbourhoods
- To make our streets more people friendly
- During my time on City Council, listening to youth, seniors, families, schools, organizations, land owners, business leaders in Ward 3, I have been consistent in my advocacy and support of these priorities.
As the Ward 3 Councillor, I have been looking for opportunities to invest in people, in complete safe streets, neighbourhoods and communities and a commitment to finding opportunity to implement relevant Vision Zero actions in our Ward, as well as actions in our City of Mississauga Walking, Cycling, Accessibility, Transit and Climate Change Master Plans.
All of these initiatives reinforce my commitment to safe, resilient communities, supporting vulnerable road users, while encouraging physical activity and enhancing livability of our Ward and City.
Citizens want safer options to walk, cycle and take transit.
As our communities grow and as investments in our ageing infrastructure are being made, we must plan for the future.
The Bloor Street Integrated Project and Alternative 6, present an opportunity to transform and invest in our infrastructure with a complete, safe streets approach that has positive outcomes for everyone.
I passionately believe our streets are for more than just moving along motor vehicles; they are vital community spaces where people work, play and connect with the community.
I have also heard concerns regarding construction impacts and short-term challenges with traffic and congestion and I acknowledge the impacts this may have on the day-to-day experience of Ward 3 and Mississauga residents through the construction period.
As we move forward with the Bloor Street Integrated Project, I look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the local residents and businesses and all residents of Ward 3 & 4, Councillor Kovac, City Council, as well as City staff, to ensure this new infrastructure is constantly improved through practical experience.
Ultimately, I believe these challenges are manageable and overcoming them is necessary as we work towards transforming Bloor Street and meeting our goals as laid out in our commitment to Vision Zero, Pedestrian, Cycling, Transit and Climate Change Masters Plans and Strategic Plan now and into the future. |
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