Symes Rd is now closed to traffic about at its mid point, effectively separating the industrial apart of the area from the new residential homes. Closing this road to vehicular traffic at the rail crossing north of Viella Street and constructing a sound reducing wall, may service the new residents – but the separation it creates between the homes and the industrial district destroys the cultural and employment relationship the Junction has always had between industry and residents.
The area north of the closure in core industrial land has deemed by the city, and provided good and lasting jobs. This new closure removes the factories, their people from the community. If you seek core industrial employment in a community why dismantle their relationship from the community.
The closure is intended to address the concerns of area residents related to heavy truck traffic accessing the industrial area to the north of St. Clair Avenue West, which needed to be addressed but could it not have been addressed by way of traffic control methods, which left the street open?
City working map for the project
2 Comments
At least leaving a pedestrian/cyclist link would have been sensible. It's not like there's a wasteland behind the wall. Symes connected people with the residential housing down the hill and with the employment lands. This is rather short-sighted.
I am wondering how the two "holes" are to handled, visiting the site there is no difference in the structural supports for the wall panels, built into the uprights at both sides where the holes are.