The first Connecting Cochrane transportation workshop was held Tuesday (June 24) at the Cochrane Curling Club.
The workshop is part of developing a Transportation Master Plan – a long-term plan that would help with transportation infrastructure in the quickly growing town.
Tuesday’s workshop had two sessions – the first from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. and then the second from 6-8 p.m. The purpose of the workshops is to understand challenges and explore the possibilities and goals of the plan.
“This is a really important project for the town,” said Jared Kassel, manager of development for Cochrane. “We’re calling it ‘Connecting Cochrane’ because we want to put in place some strategies to better connect our neighbourhoods.”
According to the Town of Cochrane website, Connecting Cochrane will guide the development of the transportation system and be integrated with the town’s existing overarching policy and planning documents.
The workshop started out with a presentation from people who are working with the town on the project and then moved into breakout discussion groups that targeted more specific transportation topics.
During the afternoon breakout sessions residents brought up concerns surrounding safety – particularly for pedestrians trying to get around town. Kassel said that is a very important factor and has to be incorporated into the design of transportation systems.
“If you are walking on the side walk and there are cars whizzing by you, that is not a very friendly environment,” he said. “There is safety, and a perception of safety, and they are both really important when you’re a pedestrian, when you’re a cyclist, and when you are driving in your car.”
He pointed out that Cochrane is divided into separate nodes of development and the connections between them are not great, making it hard to commute.
“Getting from GlenEagles into the downtown core is kind of difficult if you’re a pedestrian. There is not a direct connection. So that is why we are doing this project now,” said Kassel.
Not only are the neighbourhoods separated – they are growing. When the last transportation plan was released in 2009 the population of Cochrane was 15,242. According to the 2014 census, Cochrane’s population is now at 20,708.
As a satellite city, a large portion of that population travel to Calgary to work and Kassel said that factor is also an important part of the conversation. According to the 2013 census over 5,500 Cochrane residents worked outside of Cochrane.
“There are our internal road networks, but there is also the highway so you have to find a way to balance the two,” he said.
Some of the other issues Kassel mentioned as part of the conversation were highway upgrades, issues associated with 5th avenue, and local roads needing work.
He said the project would put in place some strategies and hopefully prioritize some things in terms of what is needed in the short term.
Kassel said the next Connecting Cochrane workshop should be happening September and the final session will be in December or early 2015.
