Tension is building around a rapid bus transit proposal by Metrolinx that could transform downtown Whitby.
The idea would see reduced parking, lane changes and traffic diversions through side streets.
The proposal would be a big change for business owners like Alison Galvin.
“I look at this and was quite concerned,” says Galvin, who owns the Food and Art Cafe on Dundas Street. “There is already an issue with parking.”
If all goes to plan, Whitby residents would see the Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit line or (BRT) go through their downtown. The 36-kilometre stretch will connect Durham to Scarborough from Oshawa to the Scarborough Town Centre. And it will hit all the major cities throughout the region.
Mathieu Goetzke, Metrolinx vice president of planning, says the route is vital to growth in the area.
“We expect along Highway 2, there’s more than 200,000 residents,” Goetzke says. “There are an estimated more than 66,000 jobs that could come in that corridor in the next 20 years.”
The project has been in the works for years and will see major changes to Whitby from Lakeridge Road to Thornton Road, including the widening of lanes to accommodate the bus.
But one of the most contentious ideas for residents is the option being looked at for the downtown core at Dundas and Brock streets. Parking spots would be moved and Westbound traffic would be re-routed from Dundas Street for a 100-metre stretch.
Several residents say they could see an overflow of traffic on their quiet streets. This as Westbound traffic would be rerouted up Brock and down Byron streets, where drivers can reconnect to the main road.
Rhonda Mulcahy, a regional councillor, says residents still feel left out of the conversation. Mulcahy and another councillor posted a letter in the local paper to get a feeling of how many people knew of the plan. What they found out was although Metrolinx has held public consultations, it appeared not a lot of people knew the full scope of the rapid bus plan.
“We found out pretty quickly that a lot of Whitby residents were not aware this was happening,” Mulcahy says.
“What we are hearing is a level of frustration that they are not being heard.”
The plan would see a pedestrian mall built along the street, get rid of the parking there and have three lanes. It resembles the rapid bus transit route that was installed in York Region on Highway 7 a few years ago.
Mulcahy says the idea has been before council for a while now to find a direction that works for everyone, but she thinks the current approach may be a bit too aggressive.
“Council is committed to creating a pedestrian downtown. It doesn’t necessarily have to be on Dundas Street specifically. There’s all kinds of infrastructure that can be built behind the buildings,” she says.
“I’m not saying I wouldn’t love wider sidewalks on Dundas, but not at the expense of creating traffic havoc in downtown Whitby.”
At this time Metrolinx is in the ‘preliminary design and transit project assessment’ process. Whitby’s mayor, Don Mitchell, says that he understands people’s frustrations and that he is hopeful Metrolinx can alleviate people’s concerns at the next meeting.
“What they need to do is give the background, give the analysis and give the evidence and share that information,” Mitchell says.
“We need this, so that coming out of it collectively, we can focus on hopefully the optimal solution.”
Residents won’t see any buses on the road for several years, but Metrolinx does have the final say on what happens. Goetzke says the agency aims to work with council and residents to ensure all parties can live with the end result.
“I’m confident that we will find a good solution for the community that everybody will appreciate.”
A special council meeting is being held Thursday, where residents and council can weigh in on the project.