ABERFOYLE – In passing a Road Management Plan, Puslinch council has given staff a road map on how to prioritize maintenance and repairs of township roads, how to include road work in annual budgets, and how to respond to concerns or requests from the public.
The draft plan has been presented to council before – most recently on Aug. 16 when council added some preferred language such as “subject to budget considerations” and language to make it clear the primary function of the road system in Puslinch is to move vehicles.
Before approving the plan, which councillors ultimately did at the Sept. 6 meeting, council wanted to make sure there could be future consideration of an active transportation network, despite clarifying in its opening statement that roads in Puslinch are designed for vehicles and not bikes or pedestrians.
“People enjoy our roads for recreational use,” said councillor Jessica Goyda.
“I want to be sure we have the flexibility to add paved shoulders (in the future). Do we have that flexibility?”
Interim CAO Courtenay Hoytfox said the roads management plan can be changed or re-examined by council in the future.
“It’s a guiding document, so if you request it, staff can provide options,” she said.
Mike Fowler, director of public works, parks and facilities, said requests to pave road shoulders to accommodate bikes and pedestrians can be made when a section of road is in the queue for upgrades.
But at the same time, it’s not as simple as adding a little more asphalt. Roads would have to widened, involving ditching and more gravel base. The cost would be “substantial,” he said.
And any township bike lanes should connect with Wellington County roads that already have that infrastructure, he added.
Mayor James Seeley thought any recreational roads should lead to existing recreation infrastructure, such as Grand River Conservation Authority lands or township parks like the Puslinch Community Centre.
“To be building bike lanes across the township for people outside the community is a huge expense for taxpayers,” he said.
“I’m nervous about making our roads a recreational spot.”
“I just want to be sure we are not precluding adding something in the future,” Goyda said. “That we are not now saying we are closing that discussion.”
“Not all roads would be appropriate,” councillor Sara Bailey noted. “Recreation and active transportation are two different things.”
Council is not considering an active transportation plan at this time and unanimously approved the roads management plan.
As well as including an inventory of all of Puslinch’s roads, the plan sets the criteria for when a road should be considered for upgrades.
It also includes ways for the public to lodge speed and safety complaints and requests to convert gravel roads to paved.
The plan will be posted on the township website.
