Construction equipment and diesel smell have been a frequent experience for Cathy Mitchell at her home near the intersection of Bayview Avenue and Mulock Drive.
York Region has been doing roadwork on Bayview for several weeks, resurfacing and making pedestrian improvements, which has required lanes to be reduced and increased traffic congestion and delays.
Mitchell said it is an aggravation, and she has had to ask construction workers to move their vehicles from blocking her driveway on a couple of occasions.
“Construction is construction. They need to do it,” Mitchell said. “I'm glad the road’s being done, but it's not worth all the diesel smell and all the vehicles here.”
The construction has garnered complaints from residents in the area and those travelling through, with constant backups, even with police officers directing traffic.
Lane reductions are scheduled for some weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The resurfacing work has been happening since June and was due to be completed in the fall, with the intersection scheduled to be done in November.
Kamil Czuba, who lives on the southeast side of the intersection, said it has increased his wife’s commute by 13 minutes. He said the traffic “has been absolutely brutal” and he questions how slow the construction is occurring.
“It’s becoming a safety issue. To avoid the intersection, people are cutting through Carberry (Street) and Willowick (Drive) and are flying down the residential streets,” Czuba said. “The company bit off way more than they could chew.”
He added there is usually a viable detour with roadwork, but the project scope prevents that, with Prospect Street also under construction.
“I just hope they can get this wrapped up sooner than later,” he said.
Suzan Challis, who also lives near the intersection in the College Manor neighbourhood, said she has also experienced construction vehicles blocking her driveway. She said she would like to see more public communication about the project and is also concerned about the increasing number of drivers diverting onto side streets, including College Manor Drive and Bondi Avenue.
“That causes an issue, that’s dangerous,” she said. “On top of that, people aren’t stopping at the stop sign — they’re just kind of rolling right through — because people are frustrated.”
Mayor John Taylor said construction on any major intersection will impact drivers and residents, but it has to be done to maintain infrastructure. He said the roadway is a regional jurisdiction, but he has been receiving regular communication on the project, and it is on schedule without any issues in the process.
“It’s what has to get done. It doesn’t make it fun,” Taylor said, adding he has personally experienced the frustration of going through the intersection. “Everything is being done to make sure it’s moving on schedule, and the traffic impacts are minimized, but they’re still significant.”
He said the intersection work should be completed in another one or two workdays, meaning it could get cleared up starting next week. Work remains after that along Bayview Avenue, but Taylor said that is about a week away from completion.
“The good news is that our infrastructure is being kept to a very high standard, and it’s necessary work to make sure the roads function,” Taylor said. “It does take patience.”
Mitchell said she would like the project to be a little more coordinated — and have sections finished: “Get it done.”
