Red Hill Valley Parkway

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The Red Hill Valley Parkway (popularly called the Red Hill Creek Expressway) is a municipal expressway running through Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, connecting the Lincoln M. Alexander Parkway to the Queen Elizabeth Way near Hamilton Harbour. It is a four-lane freeway currently under construction and expected to be completed in 2007. When completed, it will likely be designated as an extension of the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, as the both freeways were originally intented to be one project called the "Red Hill Creek Expressway."

The Red Hill Valley Parkway under construction in May, 2005

Its construction was a controversial political issue during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. Many opponents criticized the potential environmental damage of the project, while asserting that the chief beneficiaries of the expressway will be long-distance truckers, and land developers on the Hamilton Mountain. Opponents also take issue with the city spending $220 million to build the expressway. [1] Supporters of the expressway highlight the possible transportational and economic benefits to the city that the new highway will provide. Proponents also assert that care is being taken to ensure that the Red Hill Valley will be preserved and environmentally improved from its current situation.

The freeway, combined with the existing Lincoln Alexander Parkway, will make for a complete freeway bypass south of Hamilton. Supporters have long argued that the highway is a viable alternative to the congested roads of Highway 403 and QEW Burlington Skyway Bridge, and that completion of the Parkway will divert the growing truck traffic off of city surface streets in southern and eastern Hamilton. In particular, the 1990s reconstruction of the Freeman Interchange (QEW-403-407) resulted in a low capacity loop ramp for QEW Toronto-bound to 403 westbound traffic, increasing the need for a bypass of this junction altogether. In addition to connecting to the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, there are plans to extend the Red Hill Creek Parkway to the Mid-Peninsula Highway running further south.[2] As part of this future extension, the interchange with the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and Mud Street has been designed to allow the Red Hill Creek Parkway to be extended southward with little modification. [3]

The Red Creek Expressway's construction was a contentious political issue during the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. It was strongly backed by the provincial governments of Bill Davis and David Peterson. In 1990, citing environmental concerns, the newly-elected administration of Bob Rae withdrew their financial commitment for the expressway the project, which prompted a lawsuit from the regional council[4]. Late in his term, Rae proposed a more limited construction along the Red Hill route. His plan to widen existing arterial connections was rejected by Council as insufficient and "too slow" due to traffic signals and stop signs. The succeeding government of Mike Harris restored funding support to a more comprehensive plan. A poll suggests that 75% of Hamilton residents support the completion of the Red Hill Creek section[5].