Residents Rallying for LRT Stop in Mississauga
Published May 11, 2018 at 3:33 pm
It’s no secret that the incoming Hurontario Light-Rail Transit project (better known as simply the “LRT”) is controversial.
While some are in favour and some are opposed to the $1.4 billion dollar transportation project, it has gotten a lot of people talking about not only its future impact on commuters, but on the city as it is today.
The project is indeed a vast one–one that will span 20 km from Port Credit to Brampton and include 22 stops–and some residents feel that it’s not taking their needs into account.
Local advocacy group Kingsbridge Matters recently announced that it will be hosting a rally to demand that the community of Kingsbridge get a station on the LRT route.
The group, which has scheduled the rally for Saturday, May 12 at 11:00 a.m. in the parking lot at 20 Kingsbridge Circle, says hundreds of Mississauga residents will be on hand to support the cause.
“More than 10,000 people live in vibrant Kingsbridge, and yet the community is being shut out of Mississauga’s transit future,” the group wrote in a recent news release.
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The group points out that Kingsbridge, a community in the Eglinton and Hurontario area, hasn’t been designated for a station–even though it’s a well-populated area.
“It’s one of the most densely-populated communities along the 20-kilometre, 22-station route. More than 1,000 people with disabilities who come to Kingsbridge for medical treatment and support need to get there safely,” the group writes.
On the group’s website, they mention that over 10,000 residents currently reside in the community, including a coalition of people with disabilities who are actively looking for employment, lower income earners at Acorn place and seniors.
The group is particularly emphatic about the community’s large senior population, adding that the elderly population in the Region of Peel is only expected to grow higher in the coming years.
“It’s a long walk and safety issue for all,” the website reads. “Eglinton and Hurontario is the most dangerous intersection.”
The group says it’s unsure why it hasn’t been considered for a stop, saying that it’s a better choice than a different stop proposed for the Bristol and Hurontario area–a part of the city they say is less congested.
“An LRT station at Kingsbridge / Elia & Hurontario is essential: Kingsbridge and Hurontario is one of the most highly densified areas in Mississauga with over 5,000 residents within a 200M radius on the west of Hurontario,” the group said earlier this year.
“The vacant lands on the east (Elia Ave) are going to be developed very soon (source directly from Elia Corporation). This will skyrocket the population to over 10,000 in a very tight radius. Without the mass transit of an LRT station, there will be horrendous traffic (especially with Hurontario being reduced from three lanes to two) and this traffic will back up onto Highway 403 which will cause a catastrophic chain reaction.”
The group says a stop is necessary to prevent future gridlock.
“Traffic congestion will increase dramatically if Kingsbridge doesn’t get the station it deserves.
Saturday’s rally will demonstrate to the politicians and Metrolinx that Kingsbridge is united and determined in its demand for a station,” the news release reads.
For more info on the rally, click here.
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