What is happening with the Claremont Access construction project?

The upbound lanes of the Claremont Access will be closed from July 6 until November 2020 for resurfacing work and the construction of the Keddy Access Trail.

The trail - a tribute to Jay Keddy, a teacher who was struck and killed cycling up the access in 2015 - will be constructed along the corridor between Hunter Street and West 5th Street.

The roughly 2.7-kilometre multi-use trail alongside the upbound lanes of the Claremont Access will allow cyclists to ride up and down the Mountain on a two-way path protected from cars by a concrete barrier.

When it was approved earlier this year, city politicians billed the roughly $4-million Keddy Access Trail as a signature" project that will provide much-needed safe travels between the lower city and Mountain.

This is probably one of the most significant legacy pieces that we can enjoy and celebrate as it comes online," Coun. Terry Whitehead said at the time.

Whitehead - whom other councillors credited for championing" the project - paid tribute to the late Keddy.

It hit hard," the west Mountain councillor said. He was just a stellar, stellar individual."

Coun. John-Paul Danko called the multi-use trail a showpiece" for all road users and pedestrians.

The route must be completed by the end of 2020 to ensure up to 80 per cent of the costs are covered by the provincial Ontario Municipal Commuter Cycling Program (OMCC) funds.

The bidirectional path will have several access points along the way, including sidewalks, bike lanes, stairs and trails, including at West Avenue, St. Joseph's Drive, Arkeldun Avenue/Jolley Cut and Southam Park at the top of the route.

The Keddy Access Trail will be built in tandem with resurfacing the upbound lanes on the Claremont Access, making for a total project cost of about $6 million. The trail will be closed after big snowfalls until crews can clear it out, said Brian Hollingworth, the city's transportation planning director.

Five cycling projects throughout the city that were identified for OMCC funding were delayed to boost dollars for the Keddy Access Trail work.

Council's support has been the subject of debate in recent years, with cycling advocates arguing the city's progress has been sluggish.

In 2019, the city spent roughly $1.9 million on cycling initiatives and expects to invest $6.5 million in 2020. Those amounts include funding from senior levels of government.

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