FERGUS ‒ With development on the horizon, staff are proposing changes for Highway 6 to improve the overall and future transportation network in Fergus.
Approved by council during its final meeting of the year, staff are recommending a transportation study to address short, medium, and long-term improvements proposed for development lands in Fergus and ensure the operation and functionality of the transportation network contained along Highway 6.
Starting at Sideroad 19 and running south until McDonald's, some of the improvements currently proposed for the Fergus stretch of the highway involve the construction of sidewalks and multi-use paths to facilitate active transportation.
"When you consider the future upgrades to Highway 6, there'll be new intersections, road widening and the section of Highway 6, south of Fergus will likely be more than two lanes," said managing director of infrastructure services Colin Baker, during the meeting. "All this is known now so in my mind we should be developing plans to be organized and ready for this when the upgrades come."
Staff are also suggesting council reaches out to the MTO and Wellington County to come up with a long-term plan to inform improvements and facilitate development in the future.
"We do know that the connecting link through Fergus will be overcapacity by 2041," said Baker. "With no ability to widen Highway 6 through the historic downtown core, a bypass or alternative routes around Fergus will be required in the future."
As for the next steps, staff will provide comments on the proposed intersection improvements to the MTO as a part of its Class Environmental Assessment and review of alternatives.
Included in their recommendations are two new roundabouts: one at Second Line and Highway 6 and another at Wellington Road 22 and Eighth Line.
"I don't think the Wellington Road 22 intersection improvements can come fast enough," said Coun. Jennifer Adams, in support of the proposal. "The amount of fatal accidents happening at that intersection is something that I think needs to be taken care of as soon as possible."
But while she was supportive of many of the report's recommendations, Coun. Barb Evoy wanted to hear about more options for active and mass transit, as well as plans for parking.
"When I hear future, I want to be thinking about active transportation and mass transit options," said Evoy. "I think it's great to hear about all the widening of highways but we also need to plan for when it's not all about the thousands of cars and different options that will be brought in."
There is currently no timeline for the improvements but updates will be provided to comment as the plans move along.
While no public engagement is currently planned, Baker said a website with updates is available online.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
