A second part of Coal Mine Road will be closed to traffic for good later this month.
City council passed a bylaw July 2 following a public hearing. With the passage of the bylaw, notices have been placed along Coal Mine Road warning of the upcoming closure. It will be shuttered to traffic for good on July 18.
The first phase of Coal Mine Road was closed in 2010.
The road has been closed in phases due to the development of Erin Ridge North. The closure of the road was planned for in the area structure plan passed by council in 2009. Landrex is the developer.
“The bylaw gives permission to close the road,” said Lenore Mitchell, senior planner. “It will be registered at land titles when the road is physically closed.”
The portion closed in 2010 has been turned into a trail. This new phase will be a public utility lot.
One Erin Ridge resident is glad to hear Coal Mine Road is being closed. To this day, Liam Connolly says some vehicles still use the road as a “personal drag strip.”
“This is what we’ve been dealing with since [the first part of] this road has been closed and it has been problematic,” said Connolly. “I think it’s about time this road was closed down. We’ve had a problem with traffic on it.”
But others are concerned about the increase in traffic on roads through Erin Ridge that will result, such as Erin Ridge Drive. Resident Frederick Jané asked council to request more study on the effect of the 2010 closure on traffic.
“I too share the concern for traffic safety,” JanĂ© said. “I’m opposed to the bylaw.”
Everitt Drive North was built for traffic that would be rerouted from Coal Mine Road. It was scheduled to open this week.
Council also passed a motion calling for a committee to be established to study traffic safety in the area.
