Week in review: January 14, 2017

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Consultations, feedback, and events

• SIDEWALKS: Volunteers needed for Kitchener sidewalk clearing study
• HEALTHY CITIES: Panel discussion at Kitchener Public Library January 18
• LIGHT RAIL:
  • Pedestrian crossing for Traynor-Vanier neighbourhood January 28
  • Stage 2 to Cambridge consultations February 15, 16, and 23
• KITCHENER:
  • Shape DTK 2020 short and long surveys, or attend the roundtable January 17
  • Budget survey, public input meeting January 16.
  • Study: reporting sidewalk issues through social media
• MOVING FORWARD: priorities and trade-offs
• CAMBRIDGE: Transportation Master Plan and parking

Winter walkability

• TriTAG gears up for its study on winter sidewalk clearing, with the aim of understanding how effective Kitchener’s policies are for allowing people to get around. Sign up to volunteer!
• Anum Syeda writes for the Community Edition about the risk of slips and falls, and how injuries stemming from falls in winter can be devastating to quality of life.
• On Strong Towns, Rachel Quednau writes about how, in cities where sidewalk clearing responsibilities are passed off onto property owners, clear sidewalks are how you tell who your engaged neighbours are.

Transit

• The 2017 Regional budget was passed on Wednesday. New or more frequent trips for routes around Conestoga College and Cambridge, and for the 201 and 202 iXpress are being introduced this fall (bundles 1 and 2). Meanwhile, the already postponed 205 Ottawa Street iXpress (bundle 3) has been further delayed until spring 2018. For more details on the service changes, see the budget issue papers.
• Frederick, between King and Duke, is due to close for four weeks, causing routes 1, 4, 8, and 200 to return to detours via Water.
• Dates have been announced for the next round of public consultations, concerning the extension of ION light rail into Cambridge. Regional staff will be presenting their preferred route in mid-February.
• On the 10th anniversary of the opening of Charlotte’s LYNX Blue Line, Modern Cities looks at the transformations and developments that light rail system has catalyzed. Something to look forward to in Waterloo Region.
• New research shows that busy traffic can make your wait for the bus feel even longer.