Cycling advocate praises city hall for $9M Dougall 'death trap' solution

What's known as the "Dougalldeath trap" is getting a facelift.

Nearly $9 million was approved at Windsor City Council Monday night. The contract wasawardedto Amico Infrastructures, to design and build a pedestrian underpass and multi-use trail at Dougall Avenue and EugenieStreet, underthe CN Rail bridge.

Area cyclists and pedestrians have called the intersection a "death trap"for years. In 2017, $6.8 million in funding was earmarked to move forward with the project.

The approved overall budget of $8.9 million includes signalized intersection improvements and atrail.

Coun. Jim Morrison called it a "win for active transportation."

"This is making very big progress. I know it's very expensive, so I really appreciate that we're still moving forward on this."

Morrison said in the past, it's been hard to get the underpass item to the top of the priority list.

"There's always a reason not to spend the money," said Morrison."We'll get a nice pathway beyond the tunnel which will accommodate bicycles and walkers. It will connect with Eugenie and McDougall."

Morrison expects the project to be completed by the end of November.

'New day at city hall'

Lori Newton, executive director for Bike Windsor Essex, said the approved funds for this underpass project arelong-awaited, given how dangerous the "death trap" is.

"Drivers, while they're better since the one-metre passing law, they're still very very impatient with cyclists and with each other," she said.

This commitment ties into the Vision Zero framework that city council also voted to develop a policy foron the same night.

Vision Zero is a road traffic framework that aims to achieve a transportation system with zero fatalities or serious injuries by shifting the responsibility of safety away from the onusof individuals, and making it more of a shared responsibility between road users and the municipality.

On the same night, council also approved money for a crossover and sidewalks at Labelle Street and Northway Avenue.

"These are very, very positive steps towards making our streets safer for vulnerable road users," said Newton.

"There is no question that it is a new day at city hall."