Prince Edward County Mayor Robert Quaiff is pictured at Shire Hall with chunks of concrete he removed from County Road 49 in spring 2016. (Photo: submitted)
A deteriorating gateway into Prince Edward County could be on the road to getting much needed repairs.
Tuesday night, council gave the green light to Associated Engineering Ontario Ltd to begin a County Road 49 Condition Assessment and Rehabilitation Options Study at a cost of $152,625.
However there was some push back from members around the horseshoe worried about the study being completed and then potentially sitting on a shelf if the province decides not to help with the estimated $21 million dollar project. Fixing the well-travelled road that connects Picton with Tyendinaga Territory is in the queue for 2018 budget talks.
“The road continues to deteriorate so we need an action plan going forward to decide how we spend money in the future on it (County Road 49),” explained Commissioner of Engineering Development and Works Robert McAuley. “We don’t know the best approach over the future of the road – concrete, asphalt or surface treating.”
For two years, Mayor Robert Quaiff has been extremely vocal at Queen’s Park about the need to secure funding to repair the stretch of concrete roadway that in 2016 was dubbed the Canadian Automobile Association’s Worst Road for South Central Ontario.
Mayor Quaiff said the province has been very ‘sympathetic’ however Kathy Moore, regional director for eastern Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation advised him the study has to be completed if they expect the province to move forward and help fund the rehabilitation.
Mayor Quaiff said Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Steven Del Duca, also offered to have his engineers review the report and offer their comments.
Mayor Quaiff also pointed to previous conversations with senior staff at the Lehigh Cement Company, formally Essroc Cement, that is interested in partnering with the municipality to fix the road. Lehigh also sits on County Road 49.
“They have expressed an interest in supplying cement, and partnering could lower the cost because it could provide jobs,” said Quaiff. The mayor admitted that his statement will be contingent on results that come back in the study as to what materials the engineers deem necessary in fixing the road.
In other news, the County awarded numerous tenders for infrastructure projects.
The County signed off on the County Road 28 bridge replacement tender, however the contract was awarded to Parkside Landscaping and Contracting for $523,694 instead of Cruickshank Construction Ltd at $640,642.30. Council decided they wanted to take advantage of nearly $120,000 in cost savings.
Council awarded the Danforth Road Rehabilitation project to Coco Paving Inc. for $1,521,520. The Wilson Road rehabilitation tender was awarded to Cooney Excavating Ltd. for $874,404. The Lucks Crossroad rehabilitation was awarded to Drew Harrison Haulage Ltd for $387,752. The Paul Street Watermain rehabilitation contract was awarded to Drew Harrison Haulage Ltd. for $205, 554. The Bio-solids disposal Contract was awarded to Terratec Environmental at a cost of $95,200. The Picton Parking Pay Station contract was awarded to J.J. MacKay Canada for $136,200.
