CORNWALL/SD&G – The consultant behind future improvements to Highway 138 outlined some of the proposals to city council Monday night.
Gregg Cooke, project manager for Stantec Consulting, made a presentation to the city ahead of a public meeting tomorrow night in St. Andrews West.
The information is being collected and will be compiled into a Transportation Environmental Study Report, which will be under a 30 day public review, once it’s completed, likely by February 2017.
“This will develop a blueprint for what Highway 138 will look like over 10, 15, 20 years,” Cooke told council.
With no provincial funding committed to improving Highway 138, Cooke said there is no timeline for improvements.
But Cooke ruled out the highway every being twinned (four-laned) or a bypass (originally proposed from Cornwall Centre Road to St. Andrews West) being created.
There is also options to do nothing in some areas, Cooke said. “Should we be worried about that?” Clement questioned. “Sometimes people get a little antsy when they see changes. We are just flagging something as well as the alternatives that are being considered,” Cooke answered.
Coun. Bernadette Clement asked whether twinning the highway could still be considered. Cooke suggested that question may be asked during the study.
The proposals include northbound passing lanes at Myers Road to Willy Allen Road and Gravel Hill Road to Warina Road. For the southbound side, it would be Campbell Road to County Road 43 and McLean Road to Sandringham Road.
There are also proposals for dedicated left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes and carpool areas. There also a proposal for a roundabout at Headline Road.
“At Headline Road we’re looking at traffic signals or a roundabout…but they are (roundabouts) becoming more popular,” Cooke explained.
A public meeting is being held tomorrow (Wednesady) from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Cornwall Township Lions Club in St. Andrews West.