Residents worry about safety from Cabana Road construction

Some Windsor residents say improvements to the Cabana Road corridor will put lives in danger, once the multi-phase plan is complete.

The first round of construction stretches from Provincial Road to just east of Howard Avenue andis expected to be completed by December. It will result inunderground watermain and storm sewer installation, road widening, sidewalk and bike lane pavement.

Residents had a chance to voice their concerns at an open househeld atRoselandPublic School Wednesday night.

"We're losing our safety factor of having a paved shoulder," saidJoyce Bremner, who lives on Cabana Road. "We're going to have five lanes of traffic to back out onto, plus a bike lane, plus sidewalk. You're going to have to have eyes all over the place to get out."

She's been lobbying the citysince December to add a shoulder to the plan in order to allow residents more room to manoeuvre as they get on the road.

Instead, Bremnersays city staff suggested she add a turnaround extension to her driveway, something she is not pleased with.

City staff fielded similar concerns from residents during the two-hour open house.

"Obviously, there's going to be some challenges for the residents," said DwayneDawson, the city's executive director of operations. "Hopefully, they'll have an opportunity to be able to have a turnaround on their driveway or potentially backing up safely into the oncoming traffic."

15,000 vehicles per day

Dawson said15,000 vehicles travel through the corridor daily, which is projected to increase once the new mega-hospital is built and with continued growth in south Windsor.

John Tomlinsonlives at the corner of Cabana and Karen Street and is concerned with safety near Roseland Public School.

"This is a traffic calm street.Now they're making it a speed zone with the design they have," said Tomlinson.

Tomlinson said the crossing currently in place serves two lanes, but he doesn't think it will be suitable for the four lanes after construction is complete. He has suggested a traffic light be added to the plans.

"It's really distressing," he said. "It's not that we haven't raised the issue, butnobody is listening."

The entire Cabana Road constructionis projected to be completed by 2022.