Build Belleville/Downtown Projects Coordinator Elisha Purchase explains how the Bay Bridge Road and Dundas Street West endeavors are one of 10 Build Belleville projects that will proceed through 2016. Committee of the Whole meeting January 28, 2016. (Photo: Nicole Kleinsteuber / Quinte News)
Belleville mayor Taso Christopher and city staff traveled to the County Thursday to give an update on the rehabilitation project to the major artery connecting the two municipalities.
At Shire Hall, Chistopher, Director of Engineering Ray Ford and Build Belleville project coordinator Elisha Purchase briefed the committee of the whole on the $20.73 million Bay Bridge Road CP Rail Overhead Replacement and Dundas Street West Rehabilitation project.
“We know it is very important to make sure there is going to be a community connecting link,” said Christopher.
During the final slide of the presentation the Christopher showed a photo of a toll booth on Bay Bridge Road leading into Belleville.
“We can rotate that toll both anyway you want, the major joked referring to how the County has long discussed installing a toll booth in Rossmore. In all serious Christopher stated how Belleville recognizes the value in partnering with its neighbours to the south on this project and ones to come.
“There is a technical component that it is apart of the infrastructure fabric of Ontario and the connecting link between the two municipalities,” said Christopher in an interview.
The multi-phasated project will pick up again with work on the bridge abutments and the construction of a crash wall beginning in March and finishing up in April, 2016. Dundas Street West will be restricted to two lanes and traffic will be impacted resulting in delays starting in April as well. The construction is expected to last until Fall 2016.
During the daily commute 5000 vehicles travel Dundas Street with 17,500 using the Norris Whitney Bridge.
“We are going to try and minimize the impact to traffic but it is a big project and it’s going to be a game changer and will bring a brand new fabric of landscape connecting the two communities,” said Christopher.
