A true tortoise and snail race
Who doesn’t like contests? So, let’s invent one. The idea comes courtesy of last Saturday’s Search Engine column.
In it, mention was made of the phantom, er, I mean, proposed Canadian Motor Speedway project in Fort Erie and a long-awaited — no, make that a long, long, longawaited — transportation study for St. Catharines.
The column noted a new Bowen Road bridge is being built over the QEW in Fort Erie. A Ministry of Transportation spokeswoman said the work had nothing to do with the nearby speedway site.
The transportation study came up when a reader wondered if there was a plan to fix the bumpy rail crossing on First Street Louth near the St. Catharines No-Name Hospital.
A long-term solution is on the city’s radar, we were told. Niagara Region is on the road to completing its transportation master plan. Once that’s done, the city will begin its own, and one of the things to be addressed is how to cope with increased traffic around the hospital.
Therein lies the contest. To wit: what will be accomplished first, the opening of the Fort Erie speedway or a new bridge over rail tracks near the hospital?
Granted, a suspension of disbelief is required here, specifically relating to the speedway, which received final approval from the Ontario Municipal Board four years ago.
If the $400-million — $400 million!! Who dreams up these numbers?? — project is actually built as proposed (65,000-seat grandstand, automotive innovation park), I’ll eat this column without adding maple syrup and raisins.
For what it’s worth, though, a promotional blurb on the company website asserts the speedway “is on track to be completed as a facility by 2020.”
As for St. Catharines’ transportation study, progress on it has moved slower than the buffet line at the Royal Henley Retirement Community.
Coun. Mark Elliott made the motion to create a city transportation plan in 2007. Seriously. Ten years ago. And it still hasn’t been started.
Meantime, a new hospital and more commercial plazas have opened along Fourth Avenue, considerably boosting traffic on Vansickle Road, First Street and Third Street, all of which have level train crossings with daily GO train service looming.
What, you need consultants to tell you this area is a priority and something needs to be done?
Money was actually put in the city’s 2013 budget to launch the study, with a completion date estimated to be mid-2014.
Heck, there was even a ball park estimate of $3 million to $5 million to build a bridge over the tracks.
But the Region announced a little later it was about to prepare a master transportation plan, so the city decided to delay the launch of its study until the Region’s results were known.
I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest the Region will complete its master plan sometime within the next year. Projecting a date for when the city will be ready with its study, though, is strictly guesswork.
And even when the city’s plan is ready, who knows if or when it will actually take action on building a bridge over the tracks.
Or whether Louth Street, a regional road, is selected as the bridge option.
So, there you have it. The choice between a motor speedway that verges on fantasy or a costly rail bridge that is mired in studies. Hmm ... I think I’ll pick the start of daily GO train service to St. Catharines, instead.