With 60,000 vehicles travelling the Red Hill Valley Parkway each day, business operators say the eight-kilometre, four-lane expressway between Mud Street and the QEW has reduced congestion and noise along Centennial Parkway.

“I’m very happy with it,” said Big Al’s Aquarium Services and Pet City owner Mario Visca. “It definitely has reduced the congestion and it’s made it more viable for people to want to come into the store. Our traffic flow of customers going through the register grows every month, so we have a lot of new customers. In the recessionary times, we’re holding our own quite well and whether it’s because of the parkway or easier for people to come in, it’s the whole package, but it definitely has helped just in the sense of people feel more comfortable driving on the street here.”

Eastgate Square general manager Rick Saker agrees.

“At the very least, I think it’s alleviated traffic on Centennial Parkway, which allows our customers to get in and out of the mall safer and more easily; I think that’s the big issue,” he said. “I think it has helped customers who may live up on the mountain get down here as well. I think it’s been very positive.”

Noise along Centennial Parkway has also been reduced, says Battlefield House Museum and Park’s new curator Sonia Mrva.

“I can remember being here at meetings, before the parkway was in and how noisy it would be sitting in an office with the trucks that were passing by, so I can definitely see the difference here,” she said. “It’s much quieter on the property and you can see a definite, positive impact from the parkway, as far as traffic pollution is concerned as well.”

As for attracting business, the $150- million retrofit at Centre Mall and the construction of Canada's first Lowes store were also directly related to the completion of the parkway. And the Heritage Greene Shopping Centre at Stone Church and Mount Albion Road was built because of the access the parkway would bring.

Centre partner and Effort Trust vice-president Gerald Asa says the centre and Red Hill Valley Parkway helped bring economic development to upper Stoney Creek.

“The east mountain of Hamilton had really been underdeveloped for commercial retail space, so the centre helped fill a big void up there and obviously it’s there because of the parkway,” he said.

“Without the parkway, there was no access, so that development couldn’t take place. You wouldn’t get a development like that without the highway access like we have – the two go hand-in-hand – so I think, all-in-all, it’s been a good thing.”

The store manager of The Shoe Company located in Heritage Greene, agrees.

“We’re seeing a lot of traffic from Grimsby, West Lincoln that kind of thing, where they are obviously using the parkway to get to us quickly,” said Gail French. “It’s helping to bring people from outside of the Hamilton area for sure which, in turn is good for business.”

The parkway is also expected to bring millions in assessment from the North Glanbrook Industrial Business Park and new residential assessment.

City of Hamilton industrial parks and airport development division director Guy Paparella confirms the Red Hill Valley Parkway is a driving force behind bringing industrial business to the community.

“People that are looking for business and have found business in the area are telling us that the parkway makes all the difference because you can get your product in and out of that area much quicker, so accessibility to the highway has created basically a really good situation from a transportation standpoint and that’s what they mention is going to help their business,” he said.

“People who call looking for business are looking for accessibility to that parkway – that’s a feature that they’re looking for.”

Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce president Brad Perco says whether it’s reduced congestion and noise along Centennial Parkway or economic development and prosperity in upper Stoney Creek, the Red Hill Valley Parkway has had an overall positive effect.

“It’s been a positive thing for businesses and residents alike,” he said.