Wide swath of land for BRT road widening infuriates property owners on Dundas
CTV
Widening the road for rapid transit will require some Dundas Street property owners to part with 15 feet (or more) of their land— beyond the existing sidewalk.
Widening the road for rapid transit will require some Dundas Street property owners to part with 15 feet (or more) of their land— beyond the existing sidewalk.
Recently, property owners were contacted by city hall about acquiring the land necessary to add dedicated bus lanes and a centre median as part of the East London Link rapid transit project.
If a sales agreement can’t be reached, the city will pursue expropriation.
Lou Fatibene, owner of Dundas Automotive Repair, says taking away about 18 feet of his property will make it virtually impossible to run his business.
“We won’t be able to back cars in and out (of the repair bays), trucks in and out, tow trucks won’t be able to come in,” he explains.
According to him, the city’s first offer was $52,000.
Widening the road has always been part of the city’s rapid transit plan along the stretch of Dundas Street near Ashland Avenue.
