Laurelwood Multi-use Path Connection
Construction and consultation has concluded.
Welcome to the project page for the Laurelwood Multi-use Path Connection.
The City of Waterloo intends to replace the existing sidewalk with a new asphalt multi-use path between the existing connections in Old Oak Park and the trail between Creekside Drive and Birchmount Drive. The city successfully applied to the Investing in Canada Program (ICIP) COVID-19 Resilience Stream grant, which will help fund this work.
This project includes replacing the existing sidewalk with a community multi-use path. The multi-use path will be a minimum of three metres wide to accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, completing a major link in the city's active transportation network on Waterloo's west side. Two mid-block uncontrolled crossings will be constructed within the Laurelwood Drive median to help connect users with the existing trails. By linking these trails and neighbourhood schools with a path wide enough for both pedestrians and cyclists to observe safe distancing while using, we hope to encourage more users and increase active transportation trips in Waterloo.
These improvements were recommended as a priority project in the Transportation Master Plan 2020 Update approved by Council in April 2021.
The city has retained the local engineering firm WalterFedy to provide engineering services for the design of this project.
Details regarding the current status of this project are available on the News Feed section of this site (such as the Project Information) and will be updated as the project progresses. If interested, please take the time to view the preliminary designs and project information and provide feedback in our Comments section.
Who's Listening
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CH
Phone 519-747-8791 Email christopher.hodgson@waterloo.ca -
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DW
Phone 519-576-2150 Email dweiler@walterfedy.com
I'm not sure why this project is needed when Laurelwood Drive already has both sidewalks and bike lanes on both the south and north sides of the street. Money would be better invested in the area by completing the sidewalk on Beaver Creek Road, improving road conditions in the portion of Laurelwood Drive between Ersbville Rd and Beaver Creek, or improving the many existing bike paths and trails in the area.
According to the active transportation plan, the full project is a multi-use trail along Laurelwood from Bearinger to Erbsville. The stretch from Bearinger to the roundabout as been done and this project would only complete a portion of the remainder. Why isn't the multi-use trail being built all the way to Old Oak Drive? The transition from the multi-use trail to a sidewalk/painted bike lane could create congestion and be prone to collision.
The first half of the proposed trail is a strong downhill grade. Currently I see people coming through this section at high speed on the current sidewalk. I'd like to see some consideration for the danger at the intersection of the path and the driveways that are crossed.