Conversion of Albert, Celina, Brock and Colborne to two-way streets gets Oshawa Council go-ahead – public consultation next

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Published September 29, 2021 at 2:35 pm

The City of Oshawa will get a chance to “right a wrong” this fall when public engagements begin on converting Albert and Celina streets, as well as Brock and Colborne streets, from one-way roads to two-way thoroughfares.

The idea to convert the streets to two-way traffic has been on the city’s books since 2014 but it wasn’t until earlier this year when CIMA+ was hired to undertake a feasibility study that the plan got any traction.

Ward 4 Councillor Derek Giberson, who made the original motion, noted that the streets started out as two-way but were changed years ago to accommodate shift changes at General Motors in the days when GM affected everyday life in the Motor City.

“They caused significant harm to neighbourhoods,”’ he said. “This is an opportunity for this council to right that wrong.”

Regional Councillor Rick Kerr agreed, saying the reason why the streets were changed to one-ways in the 1960s is “long gone” and hoped the conversion could lead to “boutique retail” one day on Albert and Celina streets.

Regional Councillor John Gray was also in favour of the motion but cautioned his colleagues not to “jump the gun” on planning for the future of the roads.

“Let’s see what the residents want first.”

The public consultation process will be ongoing this fall.

One-way streets on Oshawa’s main roads through the downtown area – Simcoe Street (northbound) and Centre Street (southbound); and King Street (eastbound) and Bond Street (westbound); will not be affected by the study.

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