Duane Hicks
Say good-bye to the wheel rutting along the stretch of King’s Highway from just east of York Avenue to Wright Avenue.
The Town of Fort Frances has received $2 million towards road reconstruction, as well as upgrades to water, storm, and sanitary sewer systems, thanks to the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund.
The work will be done this summer.
“It’s basically replacing all of the sewer and water, adding an additional storm sewer system, and getting rid of all of the wheel rutting,” Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown said yesterday.
He noted that due to the wheel rutting, pedestrians on the sidewalk get splashed and cars hydroplane when it rains.
That won’t be a problem once the road is resurfaced.
Brown said the town realizes some people won’t be happy with construction on that busy stretch of highway, but stressed the work is necessary.
The wheel rutting is bad, and is getting worse every year, he remarked, adding the town can’t wait until the rutting grinds an oil pan off a vehicle.
Equally important, the job will entail replacing the aged pipes below the street—some of which date back to 1919.
The project will go out to tender in the near future.
The same tender will include sewer and water replacements on Nelson Street from Butler Avenue to the Shevlin wood yard, and Phair Avenue from Third Street East to Fifth Street East.
More details will be known once a contractor is awarded the tender, but Brown estimated the work will run from May through October.
The province recently approved a total 78 projects through the application-based component of the OCIF.
Elsewhere in the district, the Town of Rainy River will receive up to $702,000 for the renewal of waterlines and road rehabilitation.
In Kenora District, the Municipality of Sioux Lookout will receive $1,996,121 to replace and upgrade its water and sewer main.
OCIF provides $100 million per year in funding for critical road, bridge, water, and wastewater projects.
Some $50 million is available per year in fair and transparent formula-based funding and the other $50 million in application-based funding.
“Roads, bridges, and water infrastructure are essential to rural communities across the province,” Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs minister Jeff Leal said yesterday in a press release.
“By partnering with communities and investing in these projects, our government is committed to ensuring municipalities have the tools they need to build and maintain critical infrastructure,” he added.
