FAQs

The Right-of-Way is the total public space from one property line to the other. It includes:

• Vehicle lanes
• Sidewalks
• Cycling paths
• Transit stops
• Street trees and landscaping
• Underground utilities

For example, along Main Street, the ROW includes traffic lanes, sidewalks, bus stops, and space for future Complete Streets improvements.

Road classification describes the role a road plays in the city’s transportation network.

For example:

• Major Arterial roads, such as Upper James Street or Main Street, move large volumes of traffic across the city.
• Minor Arterials, such as portions of Barton Street, connect communities and support moderate traffic volumes.
• Collector roads, like Greenhill Avenue (in some segments), connect neighbourhood streets to arterial roads.
• Local roads primarily provide access to homes, such as residential streets in Waterdown, Stoney Creek, or Ancaster neighbourhoods.

This classification helps guide how roads are designed and improved.

Hamilton is growing and evolving. This review helps us:

• Plan for future growth across the city including areas like Stoney Creek,Waterdown, Binbrook, and the Airport Employment Growth District
• Improve safety city-wide aligned with Vizion Zero action plan
• Support walking, cycling, transit, and driving
• Align with Complete Streets principles
• Ensure the road network functions efficiently as development occurs

Complete Streets are designed for everyone, including pedestrian, cyclist, transit users, drivers, and people of all ages and abilities.

Examples in Hamilton include:

• Protected cycling facilities on Cannon Street
• Traffic calming and pedestrian improvements in neighbourhood areas
• Transit priority planning along the A-Line corridor (James Street/Upper James Street)

Complete Streets aim to balance mobility, safety, accessibility, and community character.

Not necessarily.

Identifying a future Right-of-Way width does not mean construction will happen immediately.

For example:

• Even where a corridor like Dundas Street in Waterdown supports transit planning, widening may not occur due to right-of-way constraints and community context.
• Improvements on roads like Barton Street may focus on safety, streetscape, and transit rather than simply adding lanes.

Any road widening would require:

• Detailed studies
• Public consultation
• Council approval
• Funding

For most residents, there is no immediate impact.

In some cases, when properties redevelop, such as along intensification corridors like Main Street or Upper James Street, a small amount of land may be required to achieve the planned Right-of-Way width.

Existing properties are not automatically impacted.

No.

Additional space may be used for:

• Wider sidewalks in BIAs such as Downtown Hamilton
• Protected cycling infrastructure
• Transit priority measures
• Street trees and landscaping
• Accessibility upgrades

The goal is not simply to increase vehicle capacity, but to support a balanced transportation network.

Clearly defining a road’s role helps the City:

• Match design to how the road functions
• Improve intersections and crossings
• Support traffic calming on neighbourhood streets
• Reduce conflicts between vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians

For example, neighbourhood streets in areas like Crown Point or Kirkendall may prioritize access and safety, while arterial roads prioritize mobility.

Some roads are key transit corridors.

For example:

• James Street/Upper James Street (A-Line) is being planned as a priority transit corridor.
• Main Street and King Street support higher levels of transit service.

These corridors may require space for transit stops or future transit priority measures.

After public consultation and technical review, recommendations will be presented to City Council through an Official Plan Amendment. Council approval is required before changes take effect.