21 June 2006
Delays Caused by Trains Could be Thing of Past in '08
Cambridge Ontario - Regional councillors have unveiled a
new plan to get rid of irksome trains, and also build an overpass, at a traffic-plagued intersection in Cambridge.
The latest proposal affects the busy level crossing at the Hespeler-Coronation-Water-Dundas intersection, known as the
delta.
Canadian Pacific Railway has tentatively agreed to relocate its nearby marshalling yard to a site outside the region, by the end of
2008.
This will reduce train-related traffic delays to a cumulative total of 20 minutes a day, down from 90 minutes.
The railway has also agreed to keep remaining trains out of the busy intersection during morning and afternoon rush hours.
What's changed from an earlier proposal is that regional government would still build an overpass at the site, some time after 2009.
With fewer tracks at the site, the overpass would be cheaper and quicker to build than the $25-million overpass that's
currently planned for completion in 2009.
Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig likes the new proposal. "It gets rid of all the marshalling yards, which gets rid of all the noise and
pollution and concerns we've had for generations," he said.
"Secondly, it gets rid of 75 percent of the rail crossings."
Total costs for the new proposal have not been released, pending ongoing negotiations.
Regional taxpayers have been asked to help pay to relocate the marshalling yard. Overpass costs would be on top of this amount.
Craig said he will press for overpass construction as soon as possible, after train marshalling yards disappear in 2008.
"I do like the proposal. It's win-win," said Coun. Jim Wideman, of Kitchener.
"It's a win for the people of the City of Cambridge in terms of traffic movement, and it's a win for the region, because it's going
to cost us less to build the overpass with the marshalling yards gone."
Councillors intend to invite public comments on the new proposal before finalizing a deal with Canadian Pacific by
October.
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