Around 100 people attended the public information session for the County Road 43 expansion project at the North Grenville Municipal Centre on Monday, April 15.
Bill Guy, manager of engineering and operations for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, addressed the crowd during the public information session for the County Road 43 expansion project on Monday, April 15.
Shovels in the ground for County Road 43 expansion in Kemptville, bridge work to start July 1
A public information session about the project, led by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in partnership with the Municipality of North Grenville, was held on Monday, April 15.
Around 100 people attended the public information session for the County Road 43 expansion project at the North Grenville Municipal Centre on Monday, April 15.
Jennifer Westendorp Metroland
Around 100 people attended the public information session for the County Road 43 expansion project at the North Grenville Municipal Centre on Monday, April 15.
Jennifer Westendorp Metroland
Bill Guy, manager of engineering and operations for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, addressed the crowd during the public information session for the County Road 43 expansion project on Monday, April 15.
Jennifer Westendorp Metroland
Maps outlining the County Road 43 expansion project.
A major infrastructure project first envisioned in 2010 is finally getting started. Shovels are in the ground for the County Road 43 expansion, with Tomlinson on site working on the underground infrastructure.
A public information session about the project, led by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in partnership with the Municipality of North Grenville, was held on Monday, April 15. Around 100 people attended the open house at the North Grenville Municipal Centre to discuss widening a two-kilometre stretch of County Road 43, spanning from Colonnade Drive to County Road 44, to four lanes. The project also includes multi-use pathways on both sides of the road, four new roundabouts, modifications to two existing roundabouts, pedestrian crossings, lighting and landscaping.
Mayor Nancy Peckford, who also serves as warden of the UCLG, noted that the expansion has been a “really long time coming.” She referenced a preconsultation with business owners that will be “directly affected by the construction on 43” and the importance of ensuring that members of the public not only have access to the road, but also the businesses along 43.
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“What we’re really proud of, as a council, is that we really wanted this to have a boulevard-like feel,” Peckford said. “So that’s the objective here; it’s not a highway, it’s a boulevard.”
Bill Guy, UCLG manager of engineering and operations, commented that “shovels went into the ground today (April 15).” He called it the “biggest infrastructure project in the counties’ history.”
It’s projected to cost “in excess of $40 million,” according to Guy, and take two-and-a-half years to complete. The expansion is being funded by the UCLG and municipality, along with grant dollars from the federal and provincial governments.
“Our vision is a road expansion that showcases and encourages exploration of the community,” he said.
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Guy explained that the expansion of the Kemptville Creek Bridge is being done in two phases, beginning July 1: “Starting this year, we’ll be building two lanes on the south side of the existing bridge and we’ll stay with the existing bridge through this winter. Come in the spring, we will probably finish off the south lanes — the south side two lanes that we constructed this year — move traffic over there, demolish the old bridge and then construct two lanes on the north side.”
Guy highlighted language in the contract stating that “no businesses can be closed” and access must remain open. He added that the only full closure in the contract will be to “swing the girders in on the new bridge,” which will happen overnight on a weekend.
Peckford pointed out the main point of contact for the project is Egis (formerly McIntosh Perry), the contract administrator, which can be reached by emailing Cr43@mcintoshperry.com.
“We do recognize it’s short-term pain for long-term gain,” she said. “It’s not going to be fun — it’s not always going to be easy — but you have a really dedicated team, and very dedicated council, to getting it done right.”
She encouraged people to reach out to Egis with any questions or concerns as construction gets underway: “You’re kind of like our eyes and ears.”
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