McMaster University and city planners are close to an agreement on a proposed extension of Frid Street through the university's innovation park to Longwood Road.

The city has had a number of public meetings on the plan, which is going through the environmental assessment process now. McMaster had some concerns about early route proposals coming out at Longwood Road after Frid Street was looped around from the intersection of Frid and Chatham Streets because of the grade separations required, said Zach Douglas, president of the innovation park.

The early route also reached Longwood right beside the red brick former Camco office building which is more or less the centre of the park.

The city's preferred route extends Frid Street south of Chatham Street and curves around to come at Longwood Road at a 90-degree angle. Other options included extending Chatham Street west and curving it around the back of the innovation park to come out at Longwood.

"While there's more discussion yet, we think (McMaster) and the city are on the same page," Douglas said last night. "They've settled on the (Frid Street intersection) being farther south along Longwood," away from the old Camco headquarters.

The city is in the process of finalizing evaluation of alternative corridors and will select a preferred route before holding a design workshop in February. A preliminary design will be presented to a public meeting in March.

John Burman
The Hamilton Spectator