A traffic calming plan that would see roundabouts installed on a Waterloo street has been approved by council.
Despite opposition from area residents, roundabouts and speed humps will soon be installed along Lake Louise Boulevard.
A number of delegations spoke at a public meeting Monday night. While most of them agreed something needs to be done to slow traffic in the area, none of them want to see roundabouts installed.
Area resident Robert Lake spoke at the meeting Monday night.
“My personal opinion is that it’s unnecessary,” said Lake, who’s lived on the boulevard for more than a year. “This is a poor use of taxpayer funded financial resources.”
Speed was first identified as an issue on Lake Louise Boulevard a decade ago, when a study found vehicles needed to be slowed down along the stretch between Westmount Road North and Conservation Drive.
The study found traffic calming measures were necessary for the area, but city staff says emergency crews also needed to be considered.
“The traffic circle has minimal effect on emergency response if they're travelling through Lake Louise. They only have to go over two speed humps for the entire length,” said Christopher Hodgson, Senior Engineer with the City of Waterloo.
The roundabouts may cost up to $20,000 each, and the speed humps could be $7,000 a piece, putting the total price tag at as much as $74,000.
The city plans to finalize the design over the winter, with installation set for next spring.
With reporting by Alexandra Pinto
