Hello and welcome to the Stone Road Proposed Cycling Improvements Virtual Open House for the City of Guelph.  

Welcome and Purpose: 

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about this project.  The Stone Road Study Area starts at the Hanlon Parkway and extends along Stone Road West to Edinburgh Road.  During this open house we will be using compass directions and have oriented Edinburgh Road as east and the Hanlon Parkway as west. North and South orientation will be used to refer to either side of Stone Road West.  The purpose of this Virtual Open House is to provide you with an opportunity to review the design drawings featuring proposed separated cycling improvements including both uni-directional (one way) cycle track and multiuse pathways.  The open house will also allow you the opportunity to identify any further considerations for the next stage of design.

Planning and Policy Context: 

There have been many studies completed that have reviewed the need for enhanced cycling facilities throughout the City. Investing in and promoting active transportation is a goal of the City's "Navigating our Future" pillar of the Strategic Plan. The 2013 Cycling Master Plan identified this section of Stone Road to have physically separated bike lanes. The Guelph Active Transportation Network Study from 2017 identified key future connections for trails to this section of Stone Road West.  This includes a proposed trail route west of Scottsdale Drive.  The Envision Guelph: Official Plan that was completed in 2018 supports and encourages walking and cycling as healthy, safe and convenient modes of transportation.  The Moving Guelph Forward: Transportation Master Plan that is currently being updated supports safe travel using all transportation modes for users of all ages and abilities.  All of these studies have guided the preliminary plans that will be presented in this open house.

Project Objectives:

The objective of this project is to identify strategies to achieve a safe and functional enhanced cycling design for Stone Road West that:

• Incorporates an All Ages & Abilities (AAA) approach and intersection treatments
• Represents the best practice for modern cycling facility design
• For all designs, achieve or exceed AODA requirements

These project objectives have been applied to the preliminary design and have guided the design presented within this open house.

Project Overview

We have broken the project into 5 different sections.  We will be reviewing each section in more detail in the next series of slides.  A reminder that we will be using compass directions and have oriented  Edinburgh Road as east and the Hanlon Parkway as west.  North and South orientation will be used to refer to either side of Stone Road West. Section 1 starts at the southern limits of the project at the Hanlon Parkway and extends north towards Scottsdale Drive.  Section 2 is located at the Scottsdale Drive intersection and extends north towards Stone Road Mall West Entrance.  Section 3 is located at the Stone Road Mall West Entrance and extends north towards the Stone Road Mall Main

Entrance.  Section 4 is located at the Stone Road Mall Main Entrance and extends north towards Edinburgh Road.  Section 5 is the last and northern most section and ends at Edinburgh Road.  This project is reviewing 950 m total along Stone Road West.

Section 1: Hanlon Parkway extending north towards Scottsdale Drive.  

The proposed improvements in the section include a 3.0m wide multiuse path along the south side of the road that would tie into a future trail connection along the hydro corridor.  This connection would be located on the south side of the road just east of Hanlon Parkway and Stone Road West intersection.  There will be a 0.6m buffer provided along the multiuse trail, where possible, to provide an area behind the curb for snow storage and protection along the roadway.  Along the north side of the road there will be uni-directional (west bound) cycle track and sidewalk.  A minimum of 0.9m wide buffer will be provided between the cycle track and the road with larger areas being provided where possible.  The curbs along the south side of the road will need to be adjusted to accommodate the multiuse trail and the reduced travel lane widths on the road to 3.3m.

The existing conditions for the Hanlon Parkway include a 1.4m wide sidewalk on the north side of the road.  The travel lanes for the vehicles range from 3.5m to 3.9m wide.  There is currently no sidewalk or trail on the south side of the road. The proposed improvements in this section include a 3.0m wide multiuse path along the south side of the road that would tie into a future trail connection along the hydro corridor.  This connection would be located on the south side of the road just east of Hanlon Parkway and Stone Road West intersection.  There will be a 0.6m buffer provided along the multiuse trail, where possible, to provide an area behind the curb for snow storage and protection along the roadway.  Along the north side of the road there will be uni-directional (westbound) cycle track and sidewalk.  A minimum of 0.9m wide buffer will be provided between the cycle track and the road with larger areas being provided where possible.  The curbs along south side of the road will need to be adjusted to accommodate the multiuse trail and the reduced travel lane widths on the road to 3.3m.

Section 2: Scottsdale Drive 

This section includes the integration of the 3.0m wide multiuse trail on the south side of the road and a uni-directional (westbound) cycle track on the north side of the road.  There will be intersection improvements that will tie the design elements together and transition to uni-directional cycle tracks on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle tracks.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 3.6m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths.  The intersection improvements have not been designed at this point and will be reviewed as part of the detailed design process.

The existing conditions in the Scottsdale Drive section include 2.6m wide sidewalks along the south side of the road and 1.5m wide sidewalks along the north side of the road.  There are currently hydro poles located along the north side of the road, between the sidewalk and travel lanes of the road.  There are large landscape buffers on both sides of the road.  The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle tracks on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle track.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 3.6m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths proposed within this Section.

Section 3: Stone Road Mall West Entrance

This section is an extension of Section 2. The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle tracks on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle track.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 3.6m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road West Entrance.  Cycling crossings will need to be included across the Stone Road Mall West Entrance to minimize conflicts with vehicles entering and exiting the mall.

The existing conditions in Section 3 include 1.8 m wide sidewalk along the south side of the road and 1.5m sidewalk along the north side of the road.  There are currently hydro poles located along the north side of the road.  As well, there are large landscape buffers on both sides of the road. The turn lane into Stone Road Mall West Entrance is currently 6.3 m wide. The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle track on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and buffers, which will exist between the road and cycle track.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 3.6m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road West Entrance, which will be reduced to a 3m wide turn lane.

Section 4: Stone Road Mall Main Entrance

This section is an extension of Section 3. The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle tracks on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle track.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 2.0m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road Main Entrance.  Cycling crossings will need to be included across driveways to minimize conflicts with vehicles entering and exiting the mall and plazas along Stone Road West.  Transit stops will be relocated between the cycle track and road to minimize conflicts for passenger loading and unloading.

The existing conditions in Section 4 include 1.8 m wide sidewalk along the east side of the road and 1.5m sidewalk along the west side of the road.  There are currently hydro poles located along the west side of the road.  As well, there are large landscape buffers on both sides of the road. The turn lane into Stone Road Mall West Entrance is 5.2 m wide.  The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle track on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle tracks.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.4m up to 2.2m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road Main Entrance.

Section 5: Edinburgh Road

This section is an extension of Section 4. The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle track on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle tracks.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.6m up to 2.0m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road Main Entrance.  Cycling crossings will need to be included across driveways to minimize conflicts with vehicles entering and exiting the mall and plazas along Stone Road West.  Transit stops will be relocated between the cycle track and road to minimize conflicts for passenger loading and unloading. The proposed design transitions the protected cycle tracks into the uni-directional on-road cycle tracks that extends east along Stone Road West.

The existing conditions in Section 5 include 1.8 m wide sidewalk along the south side of the road and 1.5m sidewalk along the north side of the road.  There are currently hydro poles located along the north side of the road.  There are large landscape buffers on both sides of the road. The turn lane into Stone Road Mall West Entrance is currently 5.2 m wide.  The proposed design includes 1.8m wide uni-directional cycle track on both sides of the road.  Both sides of the road will include sidewalks and there will be buffers between the road and cycle tracks.  These buffers are a minimum of 0.4m up to 2.2m wide.  There are no proposed changes to the curbs, hydro poles or lane widths with the exception of adjusting the width of the turn lane into the Stone Road Main Entrance. The transit stop will be relocated between the cycle track and road to minimize conflicts for passenger loading and unloading.  The proposed design transitions the protected cycle tracks into the uni-directional on-road cycle tracks that extend east along Stone Road West.

Project Timeline

We are currently in the network planning and feasibility review part of the design process.  The design for Stone Road West will be advanced into preliminary design and detailed design through 2021 and 2022.  The anticipated timeline for the implementation of this work would be 2024-2025 pending budget approvals.

After this PIC we will be reviewing the comments, recommendations and suggestions received by the community and stakeholders.  These will guide the finalization of the preliminary design plans and ultimately the detailed design plans.  This work will include the design of intersection improvements to connect the cycle tracks, multiuse pathways and sidewalks.  The construction is anticipated in 2024-2025 pending budget approval.

Next Steps:

Our next steps will be to review the comments and recommendations from this virtual open house to develop preliminary design plans.  From the preliminary design plans detailed design plans will be developed that will provide the preliminary costing necessary for budgeting the construction work.  Construction can commence once budgets have been secured and the project has been tendered.

If you have any specific questions please do not hesitate to contact Benita van Miltenburg for the City of Guelph or Tim McCormick from IBI Group.  

Thank you again for taking the time to review this exciting project and provide your input into the future of this work.

Have a wonderful day.