There’s good news for future development along Belleville’s busy Bell Boulevard corridor.
Mayor Mitch Panciuk announced that because of the hard work of local MPP’s Todd Smith and Daryl Kramp the province has exempted the city from having to do a costly and time consuming environmental assessment west of Sidney Street.
This will allow an estimated $20 million dollar project widening Bell Boulevard to 4 lanes almost to Wallbridge Loyalist Road to proceed soon.
Mayor Panciuk said it’s hoped that tenders would go out in December with a contract to be awarded in January.
The city had already done an environmental assessment on the land several years ago but was required to do another one.
Panciuk said having to do another assessment would have delayed the work by at least a year and would have likely added $1 million to the cost.
There was more good news as MPP Daryl Kramp announced $1.666 million dollars for the project from a provincial infrastructure program.
The province has previously nominated the Bell Boulevard widening to the federal government and if it’s approved more federal and provincial money will flow to help pay the cost.
Rob Jakes of major Bell Boulevard property owner Jenland Properties said the company will deed some land and a storm water pond to the city to allow more development opportunities.
All involved stressed the importance of the Bell Boulevard project to the regional economy as traffic on the already busy corridor is expected to increase greatly as the Costco commercial development becomes a reality.
