A group of residents from The Blue Mountains have taken their concerns about construction upgrade plans for County Road 19 directly to Grey County council.
Windfall development resident Alan Wisniewski made a presentation at county council’s meeting on Feb. 23 to express the concerns local residents have about plans to upgrade county roads in the area.
“We have submitted a petition with over 560 resident’s names with serious concerns,” Wisniewski said in his presentation. “Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of our residents and children.”
Wisniewski said the county’s plans to widen County Road 19 and add a double lane roundabout have caused concerns and consternation for local residents. They are worried about increased traffic in their residential area as well as environmental impacts such as the loss of green space.
Local residents are concerns about a number of aspects of the proposed road upgrades including what they say are:
- The lack of plans for active transportation
- Insufficient traffic safety studies
- Insufficient traffic volume studies
- Insufficient traffic movement studies
- Insufficient roundabout studies
- Egress consideration
- Insufficient drainage studies
- Loss of trees and other green space
“We have a lot of concerns,” said Wisniewski.
With the significant increase in traffic and residential development in the area, Grey County has been studying how to upgrade and improve both County Roads 19 and 21. Full details and reports about the proposed upgrades can be found at the county’s website here.
Preliminary plans include: two roundabouts at 19 and Mountain Road and 21 and Crosswinds Boulevard, widening of 21 and Mountain Road and upgrading to four lanes on 19 from 19/21 to Grey Road 119. The work is expected to happen over a period of several years.
Wisniewski presented the concerns of local residents about the scope of the road work to The Blue Mountains council earlier in the month. In response, The Blue Mountains Mayor Andrea Matrosovs said the pause button should be pushed on the project until the town and county can have wider discussions involving Simcoe County and the Town of Collingwood.
“We need time to have a regional conversation. We need a chance to sit there and talk about the bigger picture,” Matrosovs said at the time.
Wisniewski told county council local residents do support road upgrades to the area, including a new roundabout to replace temporary traffic lights that are there currently. He asked that their concerns about community safety be recognized and considered by the county.
In addition, he asked that the county consider: a two-lane road, more active transportation options, permanent stop signs, egress traffic lights, egress narrowing lanes and way-finding signage.
Members of county council did not make any comments about the presentation. Warden Brian Milne thanked Wisniewski for the presentation and information.
“There are more steps to be considered before this project begins,” said Milne.
