by Greg Layson
The County of Essex wants its residents to help drive its new Transportation Master Plan.
“We want to hear from them. And really, what I'm saying is, ‘bring your ideas, your thoughts, your passion. If you're passionate about something, bring it and we'll have a good discussion,’” County of Essex Manager of Transportation Planning and Development, Jerry Behl, said.
It’s been nearly two decades since the County’s Transportation Master Plan was last updated.
Behl said given the region’s population growth and addition of major workplaces, such as the NextStar battery plant and a new hospital, will change where people live and how they commute.
“We want to sort of evaluate the existing transportation network and look at what's going to happen in the future with the employment,” he said. “So, what do we need? Where do we need to invest in the future? Whether it's widening roads, adding capacity. Do we want to start looking more at transit, or more active transportation, such as walking and cycling?”
While the primary emphasis of the plan will be on enhancing Essex County's transportation system, there will be evaluations to improve transportation options regionally, including traffic to and from the City of Windsor and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
Behl also said modes of transportation, such as eBikes and electric vehicles, are things that need to be considered today and beyond. They’re two modes of transportation that barely existed back in 2005, if at all.
The plan will be a collaborative effort between all municipalities that offer interconnected transportation services to Essex County. Behl said the County will also work with the City of Windsor.
There will be “a focus on predicted future traffic needs, ensuring alignment with both the regional and provincial long-term objectives,” according to the County’s website.
He stated that designing the plan is “not an exact science.” Planners and engineers will use predictive modelling to determine what’s needed and where.
Behl also noted that the process is in the early stages, but the goal is to have an updated Transportation Master Plan in 2025. It’s being done at the same time staff updates the County of Essex Official Plan, which is expected to be complete in late 2024. Also happening is an update of the County Wide Active Transportation System (CWATS) Master Plan, which proposes to nearly double the existing 556-kilometre network of trails, and that all three plans play off each other.
Essex County residents can head to their municipality’s website to fill in a comment form to provide input by July 27, 2024.
Log onto www.countyofessex.ca/en/resident-services/essex-county-transportation-master-plan.aspx to learn more.