Group urges public to pay attention to Powerline Road study

Residents need to pay close attention as the city looks for ways to improve Powerline Road, says a local environmental group.

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Better Brant says some of the proposals being considered could have a huge impact on both the neighborhood, wildlife and natural features of the area.

At issue is an environmental study initiated by the city covering an area north of Highway 403 including Powerline Road from Paris Road to Brantford’s eastern boundary.

The two-lane road is expected to be closed to or reach capacity by 2051 as the populations of Brantford and Brant County rise significantly over the next 27 years. The all-encompassing study is looking at ways to improve Powerline Road to accommodate the expected growth.

Details of the study, which should be completed by the end of 2025, were shared at a July 10 public information meeting held by city officials and Egis Group, a Woodbridge-based engineering consulting group.

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One way of improving Powerline Road would be to expand it to four lanes from two from Paris Road to the city’s eastern boundary.

The expansion would provide the “greatest improvement to future traffic operations and meets city transportation planning goals as outlined in city’s Transportation Master Plan,” residents were told at the July 10 meeting.

Other possibilities include a do-nothing approach; limit development of surrounding lands to limit population and employment growth; maintain Powerline as a two-lane road and add active transportation infrastructure to improve safety for road users.

But it was the road-widening idea that caught the attention of Better Brant, a local group that aims to preserve farm land and advocates for responsible growth and development.

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“The proposed road and development will affect significant nature features, such as many species at risk and Fairchild Creek, an important stream that flows into the Grand River,” Ashley Perry, of Better Brant, said in an e-mail to The Expositor. “The river is a key source of water for downstream communities including Six Nations, Cayuga and Dunnville.”

Perry said many people who attended the July 10 meeting are also concerned about potential noise and traffic issues.

Maria Visocchi, the city’s director, communications, community engagement and customer assess service, said the study will also intersection configuration and specifications including potential roundabouts.

The July 10 meeting was held to present to the public the study’s findings to date, collect feedback and answer questions from the public, Visocchi said.

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“These findings are preliminary at this time, and the evaluation will be updated and finalized based on all feedback collected during the public consultation process,” Visocchi said. “The overall impact to properties is not yet known.

“As the study progresses, the number of properties, if any, that need to be fully or partially acquired will be identified for consideration by Brantford city council.”

A construction timeline cannot be provided at this time, as the scope of construction could vary widely based on the preferred solution and design determined through the study, Visocchi said.

The city’s transportation master plan and its official plan identify Powerline Road as a major arterial roadway to move large volumes of traffic and goods through a city.

The July 10 meeting was the first of two to be held as part of the public consultation process. The city is the welcoming public, governing agencies, stakeholders, businesses and First Nations to participate in the planning process.

To learn more about the study visit Brantford.ca/PowerlineRoadEA.

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