Residents Invited to Comment on Proposed Redesign of University and Victoria Avenues

Mayor Drew Dilkens was joined by senior members of the City of Windsor administration and engineering consulting firm CIMA+ today to provide an update regarding the reimagining of University and Victoria avenues. An environmental study was commissioned in 2018 to explore ways of reconfiguring a 3.5-kilometer stretch of University Avenue West from Huron Church Road to McDougall Street to better integrate new features for walking, bicycling, and other modes of active transportation to make the roadway more attractive and accessible. The study also proposes strategies for optimizing the public right-of-way along with two blocks of Victoria Avenue from Chatham Street West to Park Street West. As a four-lane road originally designed to accommodate streetcars, University Avenue West is excessively wide and underutilized, allowing for innovative beautification efforts to be considered. A complete overhaul of the east-west corridor to reallocate the land uses in the public right-of-way is proposed – redesigning the road and sidewalks – to accommodate more modern and sustainable modes of transportation, increase green space and facilitate new uses with broader community benefits to make the area more attractive and inviting, and public input is now being sought. From July 27 to August 24, residents will have the opportunity to provide City administration with feedback on the preferred design concepts for the redevelopment of University and Victoria avenues. For more information and to submit written comment, visit the University Avenue & Victoria Avenue Environmental Assessment page on citywindsor.ca. Residents may also provide comments through 311 or by contacting the project team directly at windsoruniversityave.ea@cima.ca. “This is an opportunity to not just rebuild University and Victoria avenues, but to reimagine their place in our community,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “Coupled with the community improvement plan (CIP) that council approved last year, as well as the Grace site redevelopment, it’s clear that University Avenue is set to thrive in the years ahead!”