PGC offers alternatives to Parkway

Re: Parkway opponents applaud Ballard’s decision to stand by full environmental assessment

While the Examiner is correct in reporting that Peterborough Greenspace Coalition (PGC) urges the city to take a serious look at traffic solutions other than the Parkway, such as transit, cycling and walking, the

PGC also believes that motor vehicles will continue to be an important component of the city’s transportation system in the future. PGC has, since its inception, urged the city to improve the state and function of our existing road systems -- investments that PGC wonders whether the city has been delaying or avoiding in order to bolster the case for constructing yet another (and very costly) road, the Parkway.

PGC reminds the city that, despite some councillors’ comments, the Parkway Class EA’s purpose (the problem statement) contained no mention of cut-through traffic or seeking to reduce it. In fact, to avoid duplication with the Medical Drive EA, the Parkway was intentionally not designed to solve cut-through traffic issues! And building the Parkway would actually make this problem worse in Monaghan and Otonabee Wards. The 2014 Parkway EA study contains no development of trafficcalming options to address this issue, although such measures were proposed by PGC and are already in the Transportation Plan.

PGC continues to suggest that road-based traffic improvements could include:

Improvements to key intersections, like at Clonsilla and the Parkway or at Reid and Chemong, to enhance flow and safety;

Initiating the widening and refurbishment of arterial roads like Chemong/Reid/ Park Streets as “complete streets,” since complete streets improve the flow and safety of traffic for all road users (pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists);

The enhancement of ring roads -- such as Brealey Drive and Ackison Roads to the west and Television Road to the east -- as a means to reduce congestion within the built-up and residential core of the city;

Targeted measures to reduce cut-through traffic on select streets, such as turning restrictions, stop signs, one-ways, and speed humps;

The long-overdue adoption of an intelligent traffic light system so that traffic lights respond to demand in real time, and improve flow in line with the direction of rush hour traffic;

Consideration and study of improvements to the east-west river crossings.

PGC welcomes the opportunity for the city and wider community to consider and collaborate on modern, less environmentally harmful, and affordable transportation solutions. Reductions in automobile use can also be achieved through active transportation, transit, and time shifting of road uses, among others.

These alternatives should be explored and implemented before spending another cent (let alone thousands of dollars!) on studies for the very problematic Parkway.