New look for neighbourhood road in Mississauga in the works; many residents like the old look

A new traffic design is coming to a Mississauga neighbourhood following community backlash.

Last year, the City of Mississauga removed a “rotary” in The Credit Woodlands, commonly referred to by local residents as a “traffic circle,” as part of an ongoing effort aimed at making city streets safer and more attractive to those who use them.

It’s part of the City’s Sharing Lanes initiative, which has been implemented in other areas of Mississauga the past few summers with positive results, officials said.

The rotary, located near Dundas Street West and Erindale Station Road, was replaced with two stop-sign intersections. A section of the roadway was completely closed off to vehicles aiming to allow space for community activities.

Artwork was also painted on the street.

The addition of crosswalks helped connect Bert Fleming Park — located in the centre of the former rotary — to residents, the City says.

The temporary changes had the potential to become permanent if they had a positive impact.

But many community members were not pleased and a campaign began demanding that the City return the area to its former state.

Some local residents placed signs on their lawns that stated “restore traffic circle” and encouraged people to contact the local councillor, Joe Horneck.

The Credit Woodlands with the installation of the Sharing Lanes project. (Credit: City of Mississauga)

The City says the feedback it received was “mixed,” but showed several key themes.

According to the City, those were:

• Appreciation for the improved pedestrian crossing and reduced traffic speeds.
• Concerns about the interrupted traffic flow caused by the new all-way stops.
• Desire to see the neighbourhood character returned to its original state by removing road art and using standard pavement markings and signage.
• Enjoyment of the car-free plaza, particularly by children and families.

However, those who wanted to see the area return to its former state are out of luck.

How the area used to look. (Credit: Google Maps)

The City says that while local residents referred to configuration as a “traffic circle,” it was actually a rotary, which is an outdated design “that prioritizes fast-moving traffic and can lead to higher risks of collisions and confusion for road users.”

“Transportation professionals do not recommend rotaries anymore because they pose many safety concerns for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians,” the City’s website says.

Though the design was familiar to local residents, it didn’t slow traffic, caused “confusion” for drivers, and was missing pedestrian crossings, the City says.

An engineering consultant conducted a “thorough review” and concluded that it cannot be returned to how it was, the City added.

A total of 10 design alternatives were considered, with two that the City says aligned closely with resident feedback.

One was a roundabout that follows “modern-day design guidelines,” and the other was a design that has two mini roundabouts.

The City ended up selecting the latter.

It says the second design will make the roads safer, bring back free-flow traffic, and restore “the neighbourhood’s character to resemble its original state” through changes like removing the paint on the pavement.

The City of Mississauga has selected this design for the area around Bert Fleming Park. (Credit: City of Mississauga)

As well, it will allow residents to access Bert Fleming Park, which would have to be removed with the single roundabout design.

The City says that the single roundabout design wouldn’t be technically feasible because it’d impact vehicular access for some existing residents, and it would require “significant and costly modifications to the road,” infrastructure and utilities.

A spokesperson for the City told INsauga.com that the initial preliminary design stage has begun for the two mini roundabouts and officials are seeking feedback as the design process unfolds.

“The plan is to complete preliminary design/detailed design over the next few months and to start construction in Spring 2025 and to finish in Fall 2025,” the spokesperson said.

“Please note that as the preliminary design and detailed design phases progress, there may be some modifications … Overall, the intent will be the same.”

To read more about the project and to provide feedback, visit the City’s website.

— With files from Declan Finucane

The roundabout design that the City says is not “technically feasible.” (Credit: City of Mississauga)