6 March 2007
Region Recommends Bridge Over Troubled Tracks
| |
Hespeler Road in Cambridge is often a
bumper-to-bumper traffic nightmare. The region is recommending a bridge to carry Hespeler Road over the busy CP Rail tracks
north of the Delta intersection. This file photo shows Hespeler Road at Pinebush Road.
|
Cambridge Ontario - Negotiations to move CP Rail's
marshalling yards out of Cambridge have derailed, Waterloo Region officials say.
As a result, they recommend local politicians move full steam ahead with building an expensive bridge to carry Hespeler Road over the
busy CP Rail tracks north of the Delta intersection.
If regional council agrees next month, the bridge could be open to traffic by the end of 2010.
Last June, regional council gave staff the green light to open negotiations with CP Rail. The idea was local taxpayers would foot part
of the cost of moving the Samuelson Street rail yard out of town, in return for the railway stopping slow shunting movements across
Hespeler Road.
About 20 trains a day cross Hespeler Road, carrying the thousands of cars produced every shift at the Toyota factory on Fountain Street.
It was hoped moving the rail yard out of Cambridge would eliminate - or at least delay - the need to build a "grade
separation" at the Hespeler Road crossing. With fewer trains each day and no shunting, it also means if a bridge was needed in
future, it could be smaller and less expensive than the $21.4-million fix now considered.
Noisy trains have long been a complaint of residents near the rail yard under the Dundas Street overpass, east of Hespeler Road.
Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig isn't giving up trying to get rid of those troublesome tracks.
"I'm pleased the (Hespeler Road) bridge is going ahead," he said.
"I'm also ever hopeful we can get the marshalling yards out of Cambridge. I think it's a very distinct possibility."
He's a member of the region's works committee, which meets today to discuss the railway report. He's already called Cambridge MP Gary
Goodyear to help revive the stalled talks with CP Rail.
"I'm not happy with what's happened," Craig said. "I think just as important as getting traffic over the tracks on a
bridge, it's important to get the marshalling yard out of Cambridge."
Regional staff say talks with CP Rail broke down because the railway wanted to maintain the right to shuttle slow trains across Hespeler
Road after the rail yard moves out. And CP Rail would not provide assurance the relocation of the Galt rail yard wouldn't result in new
traffic-clogging trains across other roads in the region.
"It's unfortunate there has been this disconnect with the region," said Ed Greenberg, a CP spokesperson.
Talks came off the rails only recently, Greenberg said.
The region proposed a clause that CP would cease all marshalling operations at Hespeler Road after the rail yard moves outside the city
limits.
"It may come down to the definition of marshalling," he said.
Breakdowns, track maintenance or emergencies could force trains to back up once they started moving forward through the crossing.
There's no way to guarantee that wouldn't happen and still run a railroad.
"We want to ensure the region knows and residents know we are still committed to finding a workable solution," Greenberg said.
"We recognize the region's vision, but we have to have a workable solution."
In a report, regional staff say they'd be willing to reopen negotiations with CP "should opportunities arise in the future that
would bridge the current impasse."
With the rail-yard option stalled, staff want to move ahead with the bridge over lowered tracks at the Hespeler Road
crossing. Council would be asked to approve the environmental assessment for the project in April, which could allow detailed design
work to start in June.
In 2008, property purchases and utility relocations could be done.
Construction of the grade separation is proposed in 2009 and 2010.
|
