A petition created by a Riversong resident at the beginning of June has 359 signatories calling for the Town to expedite the completion of James Walker Trail, implement more bylaw measures to reduce speeding and traffic hazards along River Heights Drive and to deny the development of two 5-storey, 95-unit residential complexes, proposed to be built along the thoroughfare.
Dana Fenech bought her home in Riversong six years ago and says she knew what she was walking into with plenty of vacant land still left around her home at the time.
“Of course, you’re going to expect further development,” she said. “That’s just part of what it is when you buy in a new development – that’s not the issue here. We knew the area would grow.”
Fenech says she started the petition due to the rate of growth and the traffic hazards it has created for area residents. For her, the straw that broke the camel’s back was seeing a notice of development sign go up across the street from her home proposing the construction of two multi-unit dwellings that would see 381 on-site surface and underground parking stalls created for a total of 190 residential units.
She feels River Heights Drive cannot support the amount of traffic it has now, much less the amount this new complex would create.
She chalks up much of the current influx in traffic to a combination of the construction and subsequent traffic delays created with the Highway 1A/22 interchange project and the lagging development of James Walker Trail, which would provide a convenient thoroughfare for Fireside residents across Highway 22 and to heavy trucks hauling construction materials to neighbouring developments like Precedence.
“Now area traffic that would normally be taking Highway 22 is opting to take River Heights Drive to get through town instead so they can completely avoid the construction,” she said. “That is problematic but the speeds in which the traffic is traveling is actually even worse.”
Much of River Heights Drive is set to a 50-kilometres per hour (km/h) speed limit, except for around Bow Valley High School where it reduces to 30km/h between the school all the way to the traffic circle that meets up with Riviera Way. In fact, every section of road that meets up with the traffic circle is posted with a 30 km/h speed limit.
Fenech, who lives along River Heights Drive, says most people passing through are driving closer to speeds of 60 to 80 km/h. She likens it to living along an interstate.
“That’s not an exaggeration,” she said, adding that it gets much worse at peak times when people are leaving for work or school early in the morning and when they’re getting home, around 5 p.m.
The hazard to residents and noise levels from heavy gravel haulers and other construction vehicles driving in and out of Precedence is another layer of concern, Fenech says.
“Some of the big trucks passing through here will literally vibrate your entire house,” she said. “Add to that the hazards of having so many young families with kids living around here – it’s the perfect storm is what it is.”
Nicole Williams, a Riversong resident of 13 years, said she signed the petition for all the same reasons outlined by Fenech.
“When our kids are out playing, we’re just constantly on edge,” she said. “Traffic has been crazy in this area and people are constantly speeding through the community.”
The completion of James Walker Trail, which runs almost parallel to River Height Drive behind Riversong, would negate the need for much of the traffic that currently runs through the community to use it as a thoroughfare.
Completing the roadway, however, is dependent on the Southbow Landing development – a new subdivision that will be complete with a shopping centre and multiple school sites proposed by PBA Land and Development. It was expected to break ground in 2018 but has been delayed.
The 545-acre proposed site for the development is owned by Philco Farms. According to PBA’s website, the reason for the development’s delay is “the Philco Farms team, Town of Cochrane, other south Cochrane developers and Green Drop have been working to resolve short- and long-term transportation network solutions for lands south of the Bow River.
“Once resolution of these issues is reached subject to the satisfaction of Town council, next steps in the planning process for Southbow Landing are expected to resume,” the latest development update reads.
Cochrane Mayor Jeff Genung says they anticipated some traffic flow changes to affect communities around Cochrane with the addition of the Jack Tenant Memorial Bridge and ongoing construction work to roadways in town.
“In the long-range planning, we thought that Southbow would have come on stream by now and that James Walker Trail would at least be underway, if not already completed,” he said. “That’s put a wrinkle in our transportation plan, so we’ve been looking at ways that we can get that artery in place sooner rather than later.”
But a solution is not as easy as it may seem, he added.
“There’s a whole lot of liability concerns. It’s not our land – it’s a private landowner. To put in a temporary gravel road or something would be backwards to what our principles are for developing and building infrastructure – which is that growth pays for growth.”
The developer, in this case, agreed to build the entire roadway with no cost to the Town’s taxpayers.
“If we accelerate that program, we’re going to have to come up with the funding or at least a funding strategy to pay for it in the interim and then pay it back,” he said.
Fenech’s petition suggests interim measures be taken to help deal with the influx of motorists in the area and to combat speeders.
She would like to see more presence from peace officers, especially during peak hours. In addition to photo radar setups or placing speed bumps in the road.
Genung said those are steps they could look at doing through discussions with residents and Town administration.
“The [developer] not developing at the pace that was anticipated, has now put traffic into a place that wasn’t really designed for it,” he said. “That’s why we’re hearing from residents and their feedback is legitimate, so we need to do something about it.”
The petition also argues for the Town to further consider any potential detriment to building the two multi-unit dwellings where they’re currently proposed for construction.
“This massive complex will be disruptive and have a negative environmental impact on this community,” the petition reads. “This complex will also disturb the wildlife in the preserve which surrounds the property on two sides.”
Fenech and other residents living near the proposed development chipped in together to pay for the $200 fee to file a formal appeal against the development on July 18. The due date to file an appeal is July 21.
According to Fenech, the signatures were also sent to Mayor and council on July 11. She said she hopes to be able to bring her concerns to Town chambers for further discussion, with or without the support of fellow petitioners behind her.
As of July 18 at 1 p.m., Fenech had not yet heard back from the Town regarding the petition.
