Leader of “Stop the LRT through Preston” on suggested route through Cambridge: “was a real surprise”
Posted Apr 30, 2018 08:52:50 AM.
Last Updated Apr 30, 2018 09:01:25 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Diane Moyes says a revised ION LRT route around the Preston neighbourhood blindsided her and her group.
The suggested route through Cambridge, released Friday, moves the line away from Eagle Street, among other measures.
Instead of going down Concession Road, the new route would see the LRT extend further east to the train tracks and down closer to Industrial Road.
The new route also has a hefty price tag: an additional $100-million dollars added to the project cost.
“The main cost that they’re talking about, is basically in the bridge,” Moyes says, “I see that they’re going to be probably curving the bridge, should be about the same length as what they had proposed at the first time.”
“That’s a lot of money to spend just for one stop at King and Eagle.”
Moyes says they’ve offered the region other alternatives, but “they’re not really looking at them too seriously.”
“We’ve been trying to get the cost from them right from the beginning but they’re not being very transparent,” she said.
But even with all that, Moyes admits there are some benefits to Friday’s route.
“It saves a lot of loss of properties, and leaves Eagle Street to handle the overflow traffic from the 401 because it does get quite congested,” she said.
Looking at the numbers, Regional Councillor Tom Galloway said Friday the new route would result in 60 fewer property impacts, 70 fewer property buyouts, 33 fewer ‘Built Heritage and Cultural Landscape Resources’ affected, and the route would be three minutes faster.
Moyes adds though, they’re not sure where it leaves plans for the proposed King and Eagle stop.
She, and many others, are hoping to get that clarified during the three public consultations scheduled for May.
The first one goes Tuesday, May 8th.
A preliminary report on Stage 2 ION service from Kitchener to Cambridge will be brought forward to Regional Council Tuesday morning.
A final decision on the extension into Cambridge could be made by the end of the year.
