With construction on King’s Highway here set to begin Monday, Bay City Contractors Inc. of Thunder Bay last week assured the public that every effort is being made to minimize any inconvenience.
Still, local business owners have mixed reactions.
“It’s hard to say. It doesn’t help in the short term, but obviously it’s an encouraging thing for the future,” said Guy Donaldson, who owns the Robin’s Donuts outlet on King’s Highway.
“You take the short-term pain for the long-term gain. I try not to focus on the negative,” he added.
“We’re not thrilled,” countered Carla Gepp, a broker at Causeway Insurance a little further down the road. “We’re worried about disruption to business, of course, but they say that won’t happen.
“I imagine they have a master plan, [but] it will just be a big mess for a year,” she added.
Work will begin Monday (Aug. 23) and continue into next July, excluding the months of November-May.
Construction will take place from 150 metres west of McIrvine Road to Keating Avenue, covering 625 metres of King’s Highway, Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said at a public meeting last Thursday night at the Civic Centre.
The project will include such things as 560 metres of watermain replacement, increasing the lane width to 3.5 metres, street light and traffic light relocation, as well as complete road reconstruction including grading and a new concrete curb and gutter, which is slated to be completed over the next two months.
The work also will mean the removal of five of the memorial veteran elm trees, which will be replaced with smaller four-inch trees.
Laying the top level of asphalt and doing the landscaping will be completed in 2005.
Two lanes of traffic should remain open at all times, but if there is only one, at least two traffic patrollers will be used. Two lanes always will be open overnight.
One of the biggest concerns is due to the school traffic in the area, which already is congested enough in the mornings and in the afternoon when school gets out.
“I’m concerned about school times,” said Brad Houghton, manager of North American Lumber on King’s Highway. “With the kids coming in and out, there’s going to be traffic jams and there’s no way around that.
“I hope they do it right and I hope everything they promised at [Thursday’s] meeting comes through,” he added. “If it disrupts our business, I’ll be very disappointed.”
A detour will be in effect for U.S.-bound traffic, which will be re-routed behind McDonald’s on Colonization Road West in an effort to at least clear the road to local traffic.
Brown did assure business owners Thursday night that their entrances would not be blocked and that there will be access for emergency vehicles at all times.
“I know if it has to get done, it has to get done,” said new Canadian Tire owner Angus McDonald. “It’s one of those necessary evils. I think they understand the sensitivity of this whole thing and I think—I hope—they will go about it professionally.
“I’m kind of just crossing my fingers and hoping that this works out for me,” he added.
Temporary water services will be provided to any house or business that will lose water for more than eight hours, with restaurants having water at all times.
For any property that will lose water for less than eight hours, the contractor will provide adequate notification.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
