The city is giving a section of Cabana Road East another look to see if improvement recommendations made in a study over a decade ago need to be updated to meet growth in Windsor.
The city is moving ahead with a review of recommendations made in a 2014 Class Environmental Assessment (EA) study that proposed widening Cabana Road East to four lanes from Walker Road to the eastern Windsor city limits.
A release from the city says that since the 2014 study completion, the area has experienced significant residential, commercial, and industrial growth, leading to increased traffic and changing transportation needs. As a result, the city is undertaking a Class EA study addendum to determine what improvements may be needed to support future growth.
City Engineer Patrick Muzyka says the traffic impact study will assess when a six-lane design would be required.
“So that we’re not overinvesting now if it’s not needed for another 25 years, let’s say. So it would really identify when it would be needed and when we plan on constructing each of those sections of roads,” he says.
The growth includes the NextStar battery plant, the Minth facility on the Windsor Airport lands, and the multi-billion dollar Fancsy Family Hospital being built along Cabana Road East and the 9th Concession.
According to the city, the Cabana Road corridor between Walker Road East and the city limits sees roughly 13,000-16,000 vehicles per day under existing conditions.
Muzyka says Cabana Road East from Walker Road to the eastern city limits with Tecumseh, which includes Lauzon Parkway, has become a major east-west arterial road through Windsor.
“With all the development going on in the area, including the battery plant, the hospital that’s planned, and Minth, as we saw last year, as well as future plans of development in that area-industrial, commercial, and residential-we see that area is going to be growing quickly, and we need to be prepared for it,” he says.
The study, which will examine a near four-kilometre stretch, will assess current and future traffic demands and evaluate potential upgrades that could include expanding Cabana Road East to six lanes, improving intersections along the corridor, enhancing walking and cycling infrastructure, upgrading drainage systems, and relocating or improving utilities as required.
During this time, the city will seek input from Indigenous communities, government review agencies, property owners, residents, and other interested stakeholders.
A public information centre is planned for later this year, with details coming in the future, to give residents an opportunity to learn more about the project and provide feedback.