Plans to build a new pedestrian bridge over the Speed River took a step forward Thursday when the city announced completion of an environmental assessment for the project. However, a green light has not yet been given.
This comes more than a year after the province put the project – connecting Emma and Earl streets, about 200 metres downstream of Speedvale Avenue – on hold by ordering the city to perform additional public and Indigenous consultations, as well as ensuring the project is aligned with the Endangered Species Act.
“We’re sending out the notice of completion again to pick up where we left off,” said Reg Russwurm, the city’s manager of design and construction, noting those requirements have been met.
The study completion notice started the clock ticking on a 30-day public review and comment period.
It was during this period in 2020, after city officials first deemed the study complete, that Residents for a Safe Speedvale Avenue made a study bump-up request to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks which led to additional consultations being required.
The same opportunity exists now and group spokesperson Martin Collier said he intends to file another bump-up request.
“We are definitely planning to,” he said,noting concerns about budget discrepancies among reports and the consultation process.
The group argues pedestrian bridge plans should be scrapped in favour of reducing the number of motor vehicle lanes on Speedvale in order to accommodate bike lanes. In fact, it was city efforts to redesign Speedvale which inspired the bridge project in the first place.
Council’s 2015 bridge approval came when it endorsed a design for reconstruction of the Speedvale Avenue bridge over the Speed River that did not include bicycle lanes, as otherwise required by city policy.
The Speedvale Avenue bridge project has yet to come to fruition and is on hold after tender bids came in over the anticipated $10 million cost.
During the bridge EA review period, questions or comments regarding constitutional Indigenous and treaty rights will be handled by the province, with other issues to be addressed by city officials, Russworm explained.
After that period ends, the province then has another 30 days to review submissions and issue additional orders to the city, if there are any.
If not additional steps are required at that point, Russwurm said a tender for design work will be issued this fall, with construction expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
