Disabled people cannot walk Newmarket's Davis Drive, senior says.

Yorkregion.com
July 29, 2015
By Chris Simon

Carol Coffey is visually impaired and requires the use of a cane to walk.

As a 79-year-old cancer survivor, the Mount Albert resident has regular medical appointments at offices located along Davis Drive, between Southlake Regional Health Centre and The Tannery Mall - right in the heart of the ongoing $260-million road reconstruction project. Many times, she gets dropped off at her first appointment, but is required to walk to anything else nearby.

However, the sidewalks and pedestrian crosswalks have become nearly impossible to navigate for some disabled people, she said.

Coffey has been forced to walk on grassy areas and through parking lots, because they offer steadier ground than the public sidewalks.

“I have no central vision,” Coffey said, also noting signs in the area can be difficult to see. “I used to walk (Davis) all the time, and I figured they must have made provision for people to walk. Boy, am I mistaken.

“They’ve put broken cement with a little bit of gravel and dirt to walk on. If you’re unsteady on your feet or blind, God help you. When you get to the stoplights, you’re buggered because you can’t get to the (pedestrian crossing) buttons. You’re going through a maze.”

It appears more construction barriers may stand in her way beginning this week, as crews are scheduled to close the sidewalk in front of Southlake’s Medical Arts Building, on the north side of Davis Drive between Bolton Avenue and Lundy’s Lane, for about one month. To access the building, pedestrians can walk along the south side of Davis, cross the road at Lundy’s, and head up Lundy’s to the parking lot entrance.

Once complete, the Davis project will run from Yonge Street to Hwy. 404, featuring a 2.6-kilometre Viva rapidway from Yonge to the Southlake Regional Health Centre area, pedestrian-friendly boulevards and open spaces.

Coffey’s concerns will be investigated, York Region Rapid Transit Corporation chief communications officer Dale Albers said.

The organization has received few complaints specifically regarding pedestrian walkways in the construction zone, Albers said, though he admits residents have expressed concern about the overall implications of the work.

“The situation is regrettable because our primary concern is the safety of everyone that enters the construction area,” he said, adding the corporation is always striving to keep the walkways fully accessible. “It is messy and there are impacts through construction; that’s unavoidable. We do all we can to address those changing circumstances, but when the project is completed, it will be fully accessible - more accessible and convenient for pedestrians than before construction started.”

The contractor is required to provide accessible temporary walkways for pedestrians, where necessary. Those should include hard surface ramps and minimal grade differences, and the area is supposed to be inspected by crews on a daily basis, Albers said.

While the rapidway between Yonge Street and Roxborough Road and the Hwy. 404 park and ride portions of the project are expected to be complete by the end of the year, other work will continue on Davis until mid-2016.

Accessibility upgrades will also include audible chirps and countdowns at pedestrian crossings, Albers said.

Meanwhile, the make-over of Davis continues. Several permanent changes have taken effect along the roadway in recent days.

As of July 23, left turns onto Hill, Vincent and Niagara streets, as well as the businesses, churches and plazas at several addresses along Davis, are prohibited. That includes 230, 251-259, 333, 350, 355, 378 and 390 Davis, and the apartments at 8 Hill St. Motorists will only be able to turn right into and out of the streets and driveways mentioned.

Eastbound U-turns at Lorne will be banned. Instead, motorists will have to continue east to Main Street to make a U-turn to access Hill, Vincent and properties on the north side between Longford Drive and Main.

Westbound motorists will be able to make U-turns at Lorne to access Niagara and properties on the south side between Lorne and Main.

Also, the final traffic light configuration is beginning to take shape. Now, Davis drivers can only turn left at a traffic light when the left-turn arrow is illuminated.

Unless signed otherwise, motorists will be able to make U-turns at signalized intersections from the dedicated left-turn lane.