Friday, 30 May 2014

Oxford to study significant transportation corridor around Toyota factory

It's a long road in analyzing future of major roads
Making some in-roads in our future transportation needs
By Mark Schadenberg
The only two problems with Oxford County Road 4 is that it bisects Innerkip and the railway tracks get in the way south of Highway 2 (Dundas Street).
I stand corrected.
There are four areas of concern for County Road 4.
Let's not forget about driving through Eastwood to reach Highway 403 via County Road 55.
The other traffic hazard for large trucks is arriving at Parkinson Road (Towerline Road) at a 'T' intersection.
As someone who has lived in Woodstock for most of my 47 years, I think the widening of Oxford County Road 4 to move along the Toyota perimeter was effective and impressive.
The County of Oxford has recently penned a Transportation Master Plan (See link below of extensive AECOM report, which even includes something called 'vehicular volume forecasts'), now is the time to dissect the industrial neighbourhood surrounding Toyota (TMMC). Keep in mind, Toyota selected Woodstock as a destination for a major manufacturing facility due to proximity to Cambridge. Should transport trucks arriving from the Cambridge direction be diverted around Innerkip? The folks living on Blandford Road would not like that summation.
Should trucks destined for the 403 be required to by-pass Eastwood on the east side of the 401 cloverleaf. If trucks were forced to travel only one way, residents of Towerline Road wouldn't be pleased.
As more commercial and industrial growth occurs along Devonshire and County Road 4 inside Woodstock, how should the congestion of cars and trucks be directed?
The County of Oxford engineering and public works department has acquired the services of GM BluePlan (Gamsby Mannerow consulting, based in Owen Sound) – both an environmental and engineering firm -- given the mandate of compiling a 'Oxford County Road 4 Corridor Master Plan'.
It's a public process with many players beyond Woodstock, Blandford-Blenheim Twp, Norwich Twp, Oxford, Toyota, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, and neighbouring residents.
Read the ad attached and consider some of your thoughts on the process. A final direction will eventually be passed by Oxford County Council after close consideration is paid to public meetings, possible focus groups and comments received after reading preliminary documents as they become available.
I hope I'm not missing the boat on the purpose of this public discussion, but then again all publicity is good publicity. Besides, boats don't travel down County Road 4 unless they're on a trailer.

LINKS:



Selling homes in Oxford County, but also selling Oxford County
Mark Schadenberg, Sales Representative
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)
Royal LePage Triland Realty
757 Dundas St, Woodstock
www.wesellwoodstock.com
(519) 537-1553, cell or text
Email: mschadenberg@rogers.com
Twitter: markroyallepage
Facebook: Mark Schadenberg, Royal LePage Triland

Discussion . . . Direction . . . Determination . . . Destination

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