Brookfield Path Connection Open Again

openstreetmap Brookfield — The pics are taken along the red line. Starting at the Saw Mill Creek path. (Openstreetmaps)

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The easternmost section of the Brookfield path.

It took forever, but finally the connection between the two Brookfield Roads is open again. The Sawmill Creek corridor, that cuts through Brookfield, is host to the Transitway, the Airport Parkway, the O-Train (now Trillium line) and a bit of railway tracks.

In the past we’d cross the corridor on our bikes, going underneath the Transitway and then crossing the Trillium Line at grade. But since the the frequency of the trains on this line have increased, the city no longer deemed it safe for cyclists and pedestrians to cross (let alone the fact you’d have to wait more often for all those trains). And, let’s face it, longer waiting times make people impatient, and they might take more risks. So a new underpass underneath the Trillium track was built.

I was somewhat surprised to see the bridge got a wooden deck. At first, it appeared overengineered to me, until I realised it is probably designed for smaller snowploughs.

Here are the pictures with some accompanying text.

The pics are taken along the red line. Starting at the Saw Mill Creek path. (Openstreetmaps)

The Sawmill Creek Path connects with the Brookfield Path as a T-intersection. Note the green directional sign and the bench.

Close up of the bench. Not sure if there is a direct correlation between veterans and the best country in the world (are we?), but the bench looks comfortable. There was a lot of broken glass in front of the bench though.

Still in its infancy, but we slowly start to see more directional signs. Since it looks really cheap I am hoping this one is temporary.

The bridge over Sawmill Creek with a pedestrian waving. She probably just read she lives in the best country in the world.

That's Sawmill Creek. — That’s Sawmill Creek.

The new part is serous business. The Accessibility Act requires very gradual slopes, so that wheel chair users can use it too. — The new part is serious business. The Accessibility Act requires very gradual slopes, so that wheel chair users can use it too.

I must say I think the finishing looks a little sloppy.

I am not impressed with this workmanship either.

You can never have enough fences and railings.

This is where we used to cross at grade. It is hard to recognise now.

This was the at grade crossing before the modifications. (photo: Google Maps)

I am happy to see another project finished that improves safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

Ian Schwartz
September 15, 2015 at 11:07 am

What makes me crazy is the lopsided way the city spends money on bicycle infrastructure. The city must have spent a fortune landscaping the new(ish by now) pathway. But they didn’t spend a dime upgrading the existing approach path from the Brookfield-Airport Parkway overpass to the new section of the path. It’s still narrow and full of cracks.