York Region cites space, drainage, grading and environmental constraints along the Oak Ridges Moraine, while Councillor Carol Davidson continues to push for a safer walking and cycling connection.
By City Desk
A long-standing gap in the sidewalk network along Yonge Street in Oak Ridges remains unresolved after York Region reviewed the corridor and concluded that significant pedestrian infrastructure improvements are not currently feasible.
The affected section runs between Silver Maple Road and Old Colony Road, also known as Estate Garden Drive. People walking or cycling through the area currently use a narrow shoulder beside traffic.
Ward 1 Councillor Carol Davidson said she and Mayor David West met with Richmond Hill staff on May 27 to discuss concerns about pedestrian and cycling safety. City staff subsequently asked York Region, which is responsible for Yonge Street, to take another look at the corridor.
According to Davidson’s July 30 update, the Region examined road conditions, traffic operations, collision history and possible safety measures. It found that major improvements are difficult because of limited space, drainage and grading requirements, and environmental considerations associated with the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The finding does not necessarily close the door on a future connection. York Region has said it will continue monitoring the area and is open to discussing longer-term possibilities if funding and partnership arrangements can be established.
However, no permanent project has been identified or approved.
A missing link unlikely to be filled by development
Davidson said sidewalks are often constructed as part of new development. In this location, conservation lands border both sides of Yonge Street, making future development unlikely. As a result, the usual process through which a sidewalk might eventually be added may not apply.
That leaves a gap between Oak Ridges and destinations and trail connections farther south.
Davidson said she has seen pedestrians, including parents with strollers, using the shoulder while vehicles pass nearby. She described the situation as a continuing safety concern and said she remains disappointed that the Region’s review did not identify a new infrastructure solution.
She has asked staff to examine interim measures, potentially including seasonal bollards or temporary barriers that could provide greater separation between pedestrians and traffic. Staff are reviewing what may be possible and the associated costs.
Because Yonge Street is a Regional road, any temporary or permanent change would also require York Region’s approval.
Residents question whether other designs could work
The update prompted considerable discussion among Richmond Hill residents online.
Some residents said the section is regularly used by people accessing the Oak Ridges trail system. Others questioned whether the existing road space could be reorganized to accommodate a protected walking and cycling route.
Suggestions included studying traffic volumes, reducing the number of vehicle lanes or converting part of the roadway into a multi-use path. These are resident proposals, however, and the information released so far does not indicate whether those specific options were examined as part of the Region’s review.
There were also questions about government responsibility. Although the road passes through Richmond Hill, Yonge Street in this area is controlled by York Region. Richmond Hill councillors and staff can advocate for changes, but the City cannot independently redesign the Regional road.
The online discussion reflects genuine frustration, but the Region’s conclusion was more limited than some descriptions of it suggested. It did not say that a sidewalk should never be built. It said significant improvements are not currently feasible under the conditions it reviewed.
The next step is likely to be a closer look at interim measures, along with continued discussion about whether funding, partnerships or a different road design could make a permanent connection possible.
For residents who already walk or cycle along this stretch, the distinction between a temporary delay and a permanent decision matters. But so does the immediate reality: for now, the gap remains, and there is still no protected route through this section of Yonge Street.