YOU ASKED: We attended meetings when the Benchlands subdivision was in the proposal stage. One of the requirements was a second route out of the Juniper Ridge/Benchlands area in case of a fire threat. I’d like to know when that second route will be completed and where it will be. Thank you.
— Anonymous
OUR ANSWER: Just to give readers some background: Benchlands subdivision started about four years ago and is collection of dead-end streets on the east side of Juniper Ridge.
Right now, the only way in and out of the new development is Qu’Appelle Boulevard, through Juniper Ridge.
There are still many empty lots in the Benchlands development, as well as an undeveloped section still waiting to be turned into lots.
Of particular interest to the City, and ultimately to residents waiting for a second route out of Juniper Ridge, is the undeveloped parcel at the bottom of Kicking Horse Place.
That’s the area of Benchlands that will get a secondary route.
“When (the developers) start coming in for building permits and things of that nature, they will have to provide emergency access down to an existing gravel road,” said Randy Lambright, who oversees community development for the City.
That existing road takes travellers east to a gravel pit before heading down the hill to Holman Street and on to the Trans Canada Highway.
But the City must wait for that phase of the Benchlands development to start before it can hold the developers accountable for the road access.
And so the unanswered part of your question remains “when.”
“It’s up to the developers as to when they want to embark on that,” said Lambright.
It’s the same situation with a third emergency route planned on the west side of Juniper Ridge.
“Once (Juniper West developers) start coming in for building permits for their project, they will also have to provide access out.”
That road will head west through Crown land to Rosehill Road.
So, the good news is there will ultimately be two emergency routes besides Qu’Appelle Boulevard.
The only outstanding issue is the timeline.
