Blair Village traffic concerns to be examined by region

A deeper dive into Blair Village is in the works after regional council passed a motion from Councillor Doug Craig on Wednesday night, looking to address growing congestion and traffic issues in the area.

“People are concerned about what they are seeing,” said Craig, referencing several meetings held in Cambridge to address traffic issues.

Over 150 residents came to voice concerns.

“What they would like is a starting point and an examination of where we can go to make things better. This is especially true in the Blair area,” he said.

Council unanimously passed the motion that will have staff now begin a traffic and safety review of the area surrounding the village.

That includes Fountain Street, Shantz Hill Road, and the connections to King Street.

“I think staff will have a challenge, as Blair Village sits between the 401 and the river, and is surrounded by protected lands,” said Councillor Pam Wolf.

Wolf added she is hopeful a solution will be found as staff consult the public, and go through all available options. The motion also highlighted a focus on respecting “all the environmental issues of the surrounding area.”

“There has to be something done,” said Cambridge Mayor Jan Liggett.

“The worst area of the region is getting in and out of Cambridge.”

The review will be implemented through the Integrated Mobility Plan, set to come back in the new term.

It will include past traffic studies, address a possible by-pass for the Blair Village area, and look at potential medium and long term solutions.

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