Aldershot’s Plains Road West is dotted with painted lines in preparation for major road work in 2022. Now, the City of Burlington has announced what is expected to be the final public meeting to discuss the $7.8 million project with the public.
The virtual meeting will be held on Thursday, January 27, starting at 6:30 p.m. Details are on the city’s website.
The project is a big one. Along with the resurfacing of Plains Road from Spring Gardens to Waterdown Road, a variety of new features will be introduced to the street, including measures to protect and encourage cyclists.
The project includes the city’s first protected cycling facility. On the north side of Plains, the concrete sidewalk will be widened to 3.5 metres. Half will be for pedestrians and half for cyclists. The pathways will be separated by pavement markings. Since the new cycle track will be above the actual road, it is considered to be “protected.”
On the south side, hydro lines, trees, underground utilities, and other issues prevent a similar protected bike lane. Instead, a new 1.5-metre bike lane will be on the road, but separated from vehicles by a .5-metre flat concrete pad with plastic bollards every few metres.
The plan also calls for significant intersection improvements all along the route, enhanced transit stops, and removal of some overhead utility lines.
In the past, City Councillor Kelvin Galbraith has spoken of the importance of the project.
“The condition of Plains Road West is the number one source of complaints to my office…the cracks, the ruts…[It’s] currently very dangerous. We have available land on the north side, so it’s taking a bike lane off the road. This is a kind of pilot project for the city. The Cycling Committee supports this.”
The project is consistent with Aldershot’s long-term plan, known as the Plains Road Village Vision, to convert the old highway into a safer, more attractive and functional main street.
