The 21.5 km trail will run along Riverview Line in Chatham, across the Prairie Siding Bridge, and back to the city.
While many consulted residents and councillors like the idea of the trail – which is a paved shoulder along the road, East Kent Councillor David VanDamme doesn’t support the project.
“When you look at the amount of dollars that we’re spending on asphalt, it’s not enough. Last year was the first year where our trails budget matched our asphalt resurfacing budget and when you drive these streets and back roads in this great municipality, we have to do so much more,” says VanDamme.
While municipal officials say the money is coming from the province, private donations, and the municipality’s life cycle budget, VanDamme doesn’t think this is a project to invest in.
“I believe there’s lots of opportunities for people to maintain their fitness level and be fit, and it bothers me that we may never see the end of this program,” VanDamme says.
Some councillors mentioned that the trail will increase safety along Riverview Line for children and cyclists. Municipal administration says there will also be some cost savings as well.
Although it seems counter-intuitive given the initial costs, the inclusion of paved
shoulders in road upgrades saves taxpayers money. Many North American jurisdictions
have paved shoulders policies. Their experience is that reduced operational costs pay
back the increased capital costs over an 8 – 10 year period.
Operational savings are realized through the reduced need to annually regrade and rebuild gravel shoulders. The lifespan of the asphalt road edges are also increased through the elimination of vehicle run-off.
Savings are also increased when it is considered that the capital costs of road works
are typically shared with the provincial or federal governments. This can reduce the
local taxpayers’ direct burden to 50% in many cases. Additionally, all the indicated
annual savings are operational, which are currently 100% covered by municipal
taxpayers.
Statistics from jurisdictions with paved shoulders show that single vehicle “off the edge”
crashes are reduced anywhere from 9% to 40%. Paved shoulders provide more
recovery room, thus improving safety, reducing accidents and saving lives.
You can read more on the plan for the trail here.