• A second public meeting on the Musselman’s Lake and Ninth Line transportation study will be held Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Ballantrae Community Centre.
  • The session will present survey results, refined concepts, and updated study timelines, while seeking feedback from residents.
  • The study aims to balance safety and mobility improvements with the area’s physical and environmental constraints.
  • Ninth Line remains the primary focus, and further discussion on options for a potential one-way conversion is expected during the meeting.
  • Council previously voted against funding the study, maintaining that York Region should cover the full cost.
  • Town Staff now believe a consultant will be required to complete the project, an expense they had hoped to avoid.

 

The next public meeting for the Musselman’s Lake/Ninth Line transportation study will be held Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Ballantrae Community Centre. The open house will provide residents with updates on an initiative aimed at addressing long-standing safety and mobility concerns in the area.

The project is a joint effort between Stouffville and York Region. The study area generally includes lands bounded by Highway 48 to the west, Aurora Road to the north, just south of Lakeshore Road, and east of Ninth Line, encompassing the network of residential roads throughout the Musselman’s Lake community.

For years, area residents have called for solutions to improve walkability and reduce through-traffic on Ninth Line and surrounding routes. The study is seen as a crucial step toward addressing what many describe as persistent safety issues, including narrow laneways, blind corners, and a lack of sidewalks.

While much of the study’s focus remains on Ninth Line, the broader project aims to identify practical improvements that balance vehicle access with safer infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. Next week’s attendees will receive an overview of survey results collected this summer, along with an analysis of the physical and environmental constraints shaping Ninth Line’s future.

Updates will also include refinements to preliminary options introduced at the June open house, timelines for the study’s next stages, and further evaluation of a potential one-way conversion along portions of Ninth Line to accommodate pedestrian and cycling space.

At the first open house in June, residents expressed mixed opinions on the one-way concept. Supporters viewed it as an opportunity to create dedicated space for pedestrians and cyclists and limit through-traffic, while opponents raised concerns about restricted access and longer travel times for local drivers.

Expanding Ninth Line beyond its current 7.21-metre width would require significant expense, property acquisition, and environmental considerations, particularly near the lake’s shoreline. Although the study and any resulting recommendations will not be limited to what’s in place today, the Town and Region are exploring options that fit within the existing right-of-way.

In a recent change, Stouffville Senior Project Manager Curtis Roach said the Town now believes outside support will be needed to complete the study.

“We were thinking maybe we wouldn’t have to, but assessing this post-survey and post-Open House #1, I think we will need to,” Roach told Bullet Point News. “So we’re going to talk about the timeline for getting a consultant on board.”

The potential contracting of a consultant marks a shift from earlier expectations. When the proposed study was brought to Council in May, members voted against contributing municipal funding toward the project’s maximum $100,000 budget—an amount meant to be split between Stouffville and York Region. Given that Ninth Line is a Regional road, Council maintained that the Region should assume the full cost.

At the time, Town Staff suggested the work could be completed in-house and within the Region’s committed $50,000 funding share. With a consultant now likely to be engaged, and additional studies such as traffic safety and feasibility assessments required, costs could rise as the process moves toward final recommendations and the preliminary design phase.

In comments provided to Bullet Point News, Stouffville Capital Projects Manager Mandy Paglia reaffirmed that the Town will not provide any financial contributions to the transportation study. However, she could not confirm whether the Region would be willing to fund the study beyond its original commitment.

“Unfortunately, the Town is not aware of the Region’s budgetary limitations for this project nor the estimated cost to undertake the required transportation study,” she said. Stouffville will continue progressing the project using existing approved resources, and any future budgetary constrictions will be addressed with the Region as necessary.

For residents, the Nov. 4 meeting will offer another opportunity to provide feedback. Unlike the flexible walk-in format of the first open house, next week’s session will include a formal presentation beginning around 7:15 p.m.

“We’ve received a strong response from the community since the Open House #1 in June,” the Town said in a recent notice. “We are pleased to provide a summary of what we’ve heard along with what our next steps will be. We want your feedback as we continue to shape this important discussion.”

Cover image provided by and used with permission from Terry Cariglia-Bull