As a long time resident of the area, I think, with due respect, that Drum is overstating the impacts of temporarily closing Kerr, excluding pedestrians. However, I am not sure I have ever seen more then the odd person wandering up that section of Kerr to where? When I go that way its just to access the valley, and that can be done elsewhere. Remember Oakville is an SUV city above all else, closely followed by a lengthy list or performance two seaters.....
If a temporary closure would assist in getting this project back on track, and perhaps lower the cost figures, then I am prepared to make the detour to Dorval to get to Canadian Tire...or my Tesla and Jag dealer.
I always leave it to others who live and work in the area to know more what going on than me, but we will disagree on this.
As some who has live in Oakville and spent a lot of time watching the condos been built, the bridge over the creek, the 3rd track, redevelopment of Oakville Station, there is a lot more foot traffic using Kerr than you think. Oakville Transit use it to get to/from the garage with a lot of local traffic for business. I have also shop in that plaza
A few $100,000's is not going to speed up or get the project back on schedule consider when it was first proposed to happen. The Town has drag its feet on this crossing with hopes someone else will pickup the cost causing the cost of building only to increase. ML is inflating cost to recover cost on Oakville dime.
At the end of the day, there is still a cost to shift the tracks to allow the building of the underpass and move them back into place. The only extra cost is for the temporary road which is a drop in the bucket. Doesn't justify why the road should be close 100%.
Because of the underpass, the transmission Gas Line in the corridor had to be move and upgraded to deal with it than leaving it as is until it had to be upgraded with the overpass. Extra cost to the owner of the line.
When were the condos towers built as well the Sheppard intersection been rebuilt to deal with the overpass? Add another 5 plus years onto that time to get to a date when it was known when the overpass was to be built.
Oakville is a car city like Mississauga, but more layback on becoming a city or doing things where cars are not the number 1 priority. Oakville has wanted an BRT on Dundas for over 30 years, yet they refused to built density on it to support one.
Another example of ML thinking and doing things with their ass.