Duane Hicks
The second phase of reconstruction of Third Street East is set to begin next week, but some residents are concerned about the removal of the south sidewalk along the 300 block that is part of the project.
Operations and Facilities manager Doug Brown told the small group of residents gathered at a public meeting last night that the stretch of sidewalk is scheduled to be removed due to its substandard condition, its low frequency of use, the cost to reconstruct the sidewalk, and the maintenance cost to maintain the additional sidewalk.
This is consistent with the town’s new official plan, and also consistent with its current practice for sidewalk removal and renewal.
The money the town will save by not having to repair sidewalks and remove snow from them can be used to put new sidewalks where there currently are none.
Brown noted there are 84 km of roads in town but only 51 km of sidewalks, meaning there’s 32 km of road without sidewalks.
There’s 16 km of roads that only have a sidewalk on one side and 35 km of roads with sidewalks on both sides.
“What they’re trying to do is ensure everyone has one sidewalk on each road. That’s the plan,” stressed Brown.
“That’s in our official plan that we haven’t got approved yet.
“We’re moving that way, and when we have an opportunity where something’s in bad shape and we feel it’s a low-volume road, we will take a sidewalk out,” he added.
Brown also noted that while one sidewalk is to be removed, the north sidewalk between Portage and McKenzie Avenue will be upgraded.
But some residents disagreed.
“Are you for real that’s a low-volume road? That thing is unbelievably busy,” said one man.
“It’s a shortcut for all the town trucks going that way. The ambulance goes down there.
“That thing’s being used constantly by vehicles taking shortcuts going to The Beer Store,” he added.
“I sit in my yard during the summer and watch them go [by] constantly,” he continued. “It’s probably busier than Scott Street. I kid you not.
“And you tell me that’s a low-volume road?”
The same resident said that if he wants to sell his home, and a family with three children looks at buying it, he has serious doubts that family will want to buy the home if there’s no sidewalk in front of it.
The same person later questioned the sense in council wanting more sidewalks and then eliminating ones the town already has, charging, “Two wrongs don’t make a right.”
Brown said if residents do not like what’s proposed, it is their prerogative to talk to mayor and council, present them with a petition, and let them know how they feel.
Low curbs
Meanwhile, local resident Melvin Haukaas said last night he would like to see the new curbs installed on Third Street East to be low profile rolled curbs, like those on the 1200 block of First Street East and Kaitlyn Drive, as opposed to the standard ones seen elsewhere in town.
Haukaas, who lives on the 1200 block of First Street East, said are many advantages to the lower curb, ranging from making it easy to drive a bicycle onto or off of your yard and onto the street to making it easy for an ambulance to drive up onto your yard in an emergency.
He would like to see the residents of Third Street East enjoy those benefits.
“Whether there’s a sidewalk or not, I am saying it has to be the low-rolled curb for safety,” noted Haukaas, adding it also should be easier for the grader in wintertime, which currently ends up scraping the curb.
Haukaas is putting together a petition to get a low curb for that stretch of Third Street East being reconstructed, and already has gathered signatures from his neighbours.
He plans to approach residents in the affected neighbourhood for their signatures, as well.
Haukaas then will bring the petition before council in the near future.
He also advised the contractor to take a picture of each residents’ driveway apron so when they reinstall them, they do not short the resident.
Set to go
Meanwhile, the reconstruction project is set to go, with a crew expected on-site Monday or Tuesday, at which time the road will be temporarily closed so they can set up temporary water lines to the neighbourhood residences and other buildings.
The job is scheduled to run 14 weeks, from April 18-July 21, although there’s always a chance weather could affect the completion date.
At various stages, the road will have to be completely closed to traffic. Temporary traffic control devices and signage will be installed by the contractor in accordance with MTO guidelines.
Brown explained the main reason for project is because the sewer line which runs down Third Street East, and takes 60 percent of the town’s flow, is cracking.
One section was first put in the ground in 1940, the other in 1945.
Watermains also need to be replaced.
Council awarded Tender 11-09-2011 (roadway reconstruction and watermain improvements) to Wagner Construction Canada ULC back in January at an estimated cost of $1,228,621.88 (including HST and a contingency allowance of $100,000).
Last year, Wagner did road work and water and sewer work at seven sites around town, including the 200 block of Third Street East.
