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‘Difficult stretch’ of road where man found dead scheduled for upgrades
The section of Highland Road W. in Kitchener where a man was found dead this week is scheduled for upgrades later this year. Kitchener Coun. Bil Ioannidis says he’s been fighting since he was elected to council in 2010 for improvements.Police cordoned off a section of Highland Road W., near Westheights Drive/Westforest Trail on Monday…
The section of Highland Road W. in Kitchener where a man was found dead this week is scheduled for upgrades later this year. Kitchener Coun. Bil Ioannidis says he's been fighting since he was elected to council in 2010 for improvements.
The area of Highland Road W. where a man was found dead Monday morning is a “difficult stretch” that Kitchener Coun. Bil Ioannidis has been fighting to get improved for the last decade.
Ioannidis says it's a regional road, but it runs through his ward, and safety along sections of the road has been one of the top concerns for people in the area.
“It is a difficult stretch, no doubt, and it's why it's something I've raised for a long time, and finally, everything's coming together, it's just unfortunate it wasn't quick enough,” Ioannidis said Tuesday afternoon.
He said work is set to begin this year and will be done over two phases.
Resident Julie Kavelman has reached out to the city as well, telling CBC Kitchener-Waterloo the stretch of road is “overdue for some basic improvements such as lighting and a sidewalk.”
Regional documents show Highland Road will get improvements between Fischer-Hallman Road to Ira Needles Boulevard.
A January 2018 report to council shows reconstruction will include widening the road to four lanes, installing new curb, gutter and storm sewers, putting in a raised median as well as a boulevard with multi-use trails as well as improved traffic signals and lane alignments.
“Sections of Highland Road from Fischer-Hallman Road to Ira Needles Boulevard are lacking sidewalks and cycling facilities and thus do not provide pedestrians and cyclists' access throughout the entire road corridor and to transit stops along the corridor,” the report said.
Steve van De Keere, the director of transportation for the region, confirmed work on the first section of the roadway, from Ira Needles Boulevard to Westforest Trail, is set to begin this summer.
‘Give that family some peace'
Police have said it appears a 40-year-old Kitchener man died after he was hit by a vehicle sometime overnight from Sunday to Monday. The vehicle did not remain at the scene.
The man has not yet been identified by police.
The man's body was found just before 11 a.m. on Monday on the side of the road.
Ioannidis said he was sad to hear of the man's death on Highland Road W. on Monday.
“To me, it's very tragic,” he said, calling on anyone with information to speak up. “I would really hope that the individual or individuals would come forward to police and give that family some peace.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 519-570-9777 ext. 8191 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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