King asking York to start EA on bypass
By Bill Rea

King councillors are tired of waiting for progress on efforts to find alternative traffic routes around King City and Nobleton, so they've decided to formally ask York Region to get moving.

The Region has been asked to "undertake the necessary actions and approvals and commence an environmental assessment study on alternate traffic routing patterns" through the two villages, with an eye towards cutting traffic volumes to and from Highway 400. In making the motion, Councillor Jack Rupke pointed out current volumes have reached the stage where roads are overloaded and the villages are dissected by the main roads running through them.

"This is an on-going issue for many, many years," Mayor Margaret Black observed.

Schomberg area resident Henry Verbruggen, speaking on behalf of both the Chambers of Commerce in King, was in support of the motion, agreeing it could help kick start the process.

Councillor Jane Underhill observed a joint delegation of the King Township Chamber and Concerned Citizens of King Township had appeared before council last year, calling on the region to get on with the job of coming up with an eastwest route, but she said they specified it had to connect Bathurst Street in the east with Highway 50 to the west, and run south of King Road. Underhill said she saw no such provisions in Rupke's motion.

She also said an EA was started in the mid-'90s, but was abandoned because of opposition from King City. She said she didn't want a bypass imposed on the village the way sewers were.

Underhill also pointed out the Region has been looking towards doing work on Teston Road to the south, and she said that could be an alternative.

Rupke said the need is well known, but he added an EA study is needed to take a broad look at the situation and narrow it down to recommendations. He added it will be an open process, offering plenty of chances for input.

He warned development around the Township is going to increase, meaning greater traffic flows in and through King. He said he didn't want council to wait for complaints from residents before starting to act, pointing out the process will take about five years at least.

"Let's get it done," he declared.

He also said he had consulted with CAO Scott Somerville and Director of Operations Jody LaPlante, and they had both in contact with the Region.

"This is the result of that," Rupke said, referring to his motion. "It leaves all the options open."

Councillor Cleve Mortelliti was concerned that pushing for the EA could mean the Township might be forfeiting its rights to address possible routes in King. He recalled growing up on Dufferin Street when it was paved and the changes that took place as a result, and he didn't want to see that again.

"We have a serious traffic problem on King Road," he remarked. "Diverting that traffic is going to put it somewhere else."

LaPlante told him an effective bypass had to be near the road that traffic is being diverted from, meaning the 15th Sideroad and the King-Vaughan Townline would have to be seen as options. The EA process has to look at all viable alternatives, he added.

He also pointed out the Region's overall plan is for eight more east-west lanes between Yonge Street and Highway 400, and none have yet been found.

Black observed that the 15th is in a natural core area of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, which would work against it being chosen as a route.

Councillor Jeff Laidlaw also had problems with the Township taking this initiative. "We are the instigator of the action," he observed.

Councillor Bill Cober commented the truth is the route could end up going through King, and he stressed the need for the Township to be involved in the process.

"This is not new," he said. "This has been talked about for as long as I've been here."

Black agreed King has to take part, observing there are eight growing municipalities surrounding the township.

Rupke agreed King might be impacted by the selected route, adding some people will support and others will oppose the decision. But he said they can't think traffic will just go away. He pointed out that green legislation, combined with intensification is going to force more traffic onto the available roads.

He also repeated that waiting to act could be costly. "You're going to have people yelling and screaming at you," he told his colleagues.

Underhill pointed out an EA process started by the Region would still offer chances for input.

Laidlaw cited last year's presentations, wondering if Rupke's motion was redundant. But LaPlante said an EA was not specified last year. The Region was only asked to get things moving.

He added the design process is starting on the proposed widening of Highway 400, and he said the City of Vaughan looking at establishing employment lands on both sides of the highway all the way north to the Townline.

LaPlante also confirmed the same process will be in effect if the Region starts the EA. "All concerned parties have a voice," he said.

Cober successfully put forth an amendment to the wording of the motion to specify the Township be included in the process.

Mortelliti asked if it was possible to put stipulations in the motion, possibly giving the Township control of parts of King Road so traffic calming measures could be installed, but Black warned that could be very expensive for the Township to maintain. Somerville agreed, stating the road would have to be kept up to Regional standards.

Laidlaw asked the motion stipulate the preferred route not be in King, but Rupke refused to go along with that.

LaPlante repeated the EA would have to look at all alternatives.

"I think they're very well aware of where we'd like to have it," he added.