ELMIRA BY-PASS - THE WEST SIDE OF TOWN OPTION

 

According to the Region of Waterloo this is a viable option.in order to keep trucks out of the narrow and congested downtown. From south to north one turns left at Listowel Rd. (#86) which is at the traffic light at the south end of Elmira. To the right is Union St. which would be the start of two other options albeit both on the east side of town. So once one has turned left when coming in from St. Jacobs or Kitchener-Waterloo one continues westwards to the traffic light at Floradale Rd. A right turn then has one travelling northwards towards the round about at Church St. . Straight through the roundabout hus staying on Floradale Rd. until the first crossroad which is Reid-Woods Dr. A right turn there takes one eastwards right across to Arthur St (#85) where a left turn will take you northwards . Elmira is now behind you with the downtown sucessfully avoided. 

Now unlike the east side route which requires miles of road building as well as a major new bridge across the Canagagigue Creek  for one of the east side options, the west side option only requires upgrades and likely an extra lane or so for tractor trailers. No new roads and certainly no new bridges . The cost of the west side option is tiny compared to the east side options of which one ending just at the west side of the current bridge over the Canagagigue Creek at Church St. appears bizarre and difficult for tractor trailers to traverse. The other east side option will be the most expensive by far traversing both the Canagagigue plus floodplains regularly flooded by the Creek as well as traversing over and likely intentionally burying Uniroyal Chemical toxins such as Agent Orange, dioxins, DDT, NDMA, lindane, PAH and more.

The west side option is the no brainer however that likely will not please the north end industries and their reliance on incoming and outgoing trucks who will most benefit from an expensive, environmentally damaging east side By-Pass.  This will be a private gain for the few paid for by major public funds of the many to their disadvantage .