Waterloo to create 'living street' for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles to share
Concept is meant to make 'a vibrant neighbourhood,' city says
Waterloo plans to reconstruct a section of Larch Street into a living, shared space that will be used by cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles.
The concept is also called woonerf, and was originally implemented in the Netherlands and has spread from there. Similar streets can be found in Toronto, Fredericton, N.B., and Banff, Alta.
The plan calls for adding items like benches, cycling infrastructure like racks, bollards, coloured pavement, trees and other landscaping and different lighting, but also potentially on street parking and space for vehicles.
Larch Street is a short residential street just north of University Avenue located behind the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University.
"The study's direction is based on the city's vision for a vibrant neighbourhood with more attractive streets and public spaces," the city said in a release.
Work on the street is set to begin in May and it will include tearing up the street to replace the sanitary sewer, storm sewer, watermain and sanitary and water services infrastructure before the surface work will begin.
The city says work should be completed by the end of the summer.
City staff are still accepting feedback on the project through the EngageWR website.