See What the City Heard at Third Crossing Open House

Published on: 2017/01/06 - in Featured Releases

The City of Kingston has posted a summary and full report of the feedback it received at a fall open house about the proposed Third Crossing bridge over the Cataraqui River.

“Over the next several months we will be completing the preliminary design and business plan for the bridge and we want to continue hearing from residents with their feedback,” says Mark Van Buren, director of engineering. “This project has a lot of components and the discussion we’ve had with the community has been very informative. We appreciate the dialogue and look forward to sharing more on the preliminary design and business plan.”

More than 200 residents from across Kingston attended the Sept. 29, 2016 open house at La Salle Secondary School to learn about the proposed third crossing including:

– Updates on the preliminary bridge design (Phase 2);
– Updates on the business plan process (Phase 3)
– An overview of how the results of a 2016 summer survey had been used;
– Architectural and engineering details and activities; and

In addition to the need for the bridge, the public also weighed in on:

– The effect of the proposed bridge on businesses
– The need to accommodate active transportation
– The sustainability of the La Salle Causeway
– The use of Highway 401 as a travel route
– The proposed V-Pier design
– The number of lanes proposed
– The impact of the proposed bridge on traffic and neighbourhoods
– The bridge’s effect on economic development and tourism
– Affordability of the bridge
– Sources of funding for the bridge

NEXT STEPS

The feedback the city receives is being considered by the third crossing team as it continues work on finalizing the bridge’s preliminary design and business plan. The business plan will include the following elements:

• Cost-benefit analysis – will it be a good use of tax dollars
• Economic impact analysis – what are the economic benefits of the Third Crossing
• Procurement options analysis – how would the City administer the design/construction
• Project financing analysis – how will the City pay for the bridge

Reports on this work will be presented to the public at a second open house this spring. The public input the project team receives on these phases of work will also be reflected in the final report presented to council this spring. Council will be asked to make its decision on phases two and three of the Third Crossing action plan this spring.

The proposed bridge will span the Cataraqui River from the base of Gore Road in the east to the base of John Counter Boulevard to the west.

See what the City heard at CityofKingston.ca/ThirdCrossing and continue to offer your comments to the Third Crossing project team at thirdcrossing@cityofkingston.ca.



Release & Image (artist’s rendition of proposed 3rd crossing) source: City of Kingston