Calfass Road has become de facto detour route from highways 401 and 6

ABERFOYLE – Traffic complaints are common in Puslinch but Karen Slade and Bill Knetsch offered some tangible solutions to the troubles they’ve experienced on Calfass Road when they delegated to Puslinch council on Aug. 26.

The biggest problem is when there is heavy traffic or accidents on Highway 401 or Highway 6, “and we are subjected to 401 detour traffic,” Slade said, noting there were 37 events in 10 months when traffic spilled onto the gravel road.

Slade said as a result, the roadbed is failing, the culvert under the road is damaged and the road is frequently washed out in places when it rains.

That allows road sediment, salt and oil to make their way to Morriston Pond and that, she noted, has serious environmental consequences.

Calfass Road runs between Highway 6 and Concession 7. As such it gets heavy traffic and truck traffic from both ends.

Slade suggested larger signs on the Concession Road 7 end directing trucks to Wellington Road 35 or Concession 1, which are designed for heavy trucks.

Calfass Road “was built for pedestrians and horses,” she said, adding a corduroy road forms the underpinning at the culvert.

If the road is to be paved, residents along it would also want “maximum” traffic calming measures, Slade said. It should not be widened or have added traffic capacity.

If it is to remain gravel, it’s imperative to remove traffic and enhance drainage control, she said. She and Knetsch suggested making the road part of a cultural heritage landscape, to retain its rural feel and historical character.

They also suggested making Calfass Road a community safety zone with lower speed limits and higher fines for speeding.

And if there is a way to stop Google from suggesting it as a detour, they’d like to see that, too.

“The goal is to stop using Calfass as a detour,” Slade said.

Councillors were sympathetic and directed staff to:

• have the heritage committee look at designating the road a cultural heritage landscape;
• look at ways to have more appropriate detours recommended on Google;
• advocate to the Ministry of Transportation and Wellington County for bigger and better signage along Concession 7; and
• consider speed mitigation measures during budget deliberations.