RED HILL VALLEY MORE THAN A ROAD PROJECT

The Red Hill Valley Project has been in various stages of planning, design and construction since 1956. This highly controversial project still remains a key component of Hamilton’s transportation network and long term growth strategy. Hamilton’s ability to sustain its local economy through the creation of industrial parks that attract diverse investment has suffered by the lack of adequate transportation capacity. Over the past thirty years Hamilton has gone from a surplus of 7,400 inbound work trips to a deficit of 23,250 outbound. During this same period the ratio of residential tax collected to non-residential has changed from 40/60 to 60/40. With relatively high industrial tax levels and little serviced industrial land available to develop, Hamilton must address its competitive tax challenges and invest more in infrastructure. Ignoring the problem would mean Hamilton continues to serve as a bedroom community for the more advanced economies in the Greater Toronto Area. As of today, approximately 60% of the 20-kilometre, four-lane expressway is built and open to traffic (see Appendix A). The remaining 8-kilometre section that extends from the Niagara Escarpment to the Queen Elizabeth Way along Red Hill Valley has been the focus of protest, provincial and federal court action, and considerable environmental assessment investigation. This portion of the Project includes widening the QEW, which has been delayed for 20 years awaiting the completion of the RHVP. The passion some people have against the project stems from the fact that the 360 hectare Valley is an environmentally significant area lined with over 10 kilometres of pedestrian trails. It is also a utility corridor crossed by arterial roads, rail lines, regional trunk sewer, hydro lines, gas lines, and outlets for combined sewer overflow. The Project will directly and permanently impact 70 hectares of this public open space.