I am very concerned about the plan to turn the Hanlon Expressway into a controlled-access freeway because of the context in which it’s proposed. Highway 8 is a serious bottleneck for traffic between Kitchener-Waterloo and the 401, and that municipality desperately needs a second highway. The combination of a new 400-class highway between Guelph and Kitchener, in conjunction with the conversion of the Hanlon to a controlled-access freeway will effectively turn those two highways into a relief line for Highway 8. The result is that traffic levels on the Hanlon will skyrocket with vehicles using it as a corridor between the GTA and KW. As someone whose home is less than 1000′ from the Hanlon, this potential problem concerns me more than any other issue in this neighbourhood.
At the moment, traffic on the Hanlon either originates from Guelph, or is destined to it (for the most part). That will change if it’s turned into a controlled-access freeway and the new Hwy 7 is built. That may not be a concern of the province, but it should very much be of concern to the municipality. CJ