Trail users want safer Union crossing
Rush-hour traffic causes long waits on Spur Line, city studying improvements
WATERLOO — Jakob Fielder is fed up with the Spur Line Trail crossing at Union Street.
Cars zip down the road and rush hour can be dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians trying to get across.
“People struggle at that crossing,” the 10-year-old said. “I want to see a change.”
The city is looking at ways to make the Union Street crossing safer for trail users and hosted a public meeting on Thursday evening.
Jakob was there with his family. He is an expert on the subject. Not only does Jakob use the trail crossing every day to get to school, he even did a science fair project on it and started an online petition.
His conclusion: It could use a marked crossing or wider sidewalks to make it safer. Lucky for him, the city is already considering both of those options.
The 2.5-kilometre trail was created three years ago and Phil Hewitson, active transportation manager at the city, said the Union crossing has been a problem area ever since.
“All the other crossings work pretty well,” Hewitson said. “Union is a busy road, people drive faster.”
The trail crosses Union on a diagonal and is less than 100 metres away from the traffic
lights at Moore, making it a confusing spot. Public feedback from trail users like Jakob prompted a city study into possible improvements.
An online survey about the crossing on the city’s website received more than 50 responses. A majority of trail users who responded — 48 per cent — said they find the crossing somewhat safe. Users who found the crossing unsafe followed close behind at 36 per cent.
Because cars have the right of way, many trail users who responded to the survey said they wait a long time to cross Union, especially during busy times.
The city found that 8,800 vehicles use Union Street within eight hours on busy weekdays. About 400 pedestrians and cyclists use the trail during that time frame.
At Thursday’s meeting, the city laid out options to improve the crossing.
One is to install a refuge island on Union Street. It would need to be placed away from the Canadian National Railway tracks that run parallel to the trail.
Another option is wider sidewalks north of the trail crossing with signage to direct trail users to the traffic lights at Moore and Union. This would include crosswalk upgrades and bicycle signals.
Traffic lights or a crossover with overhead flashing beacons are also options. The city will also consider the possibility of a refuge and traffic lights.
Another messy spot nearby is where the Spur Line Trail continues through the parking lot at Len’s Mill Store on Moore Avenue. Hewitson said the Region of Waterloo has struck an agreement with the store to move the parking off site to free up the trail.
Jakob said he likes the ideas the city presented on Thursday. He would also like to see improvements to the Moore Avenue part of the crossing, but that isn’t on the city’s radar.
The city’s online survey is available until May 25. A report is expected in July.