Extra Irish Headline work on South Dundas’ dime: North Dundas

In this diagram from a South Dundas council agenda, councillors are upset with the condition of Irish Headline Road even after work was done on the road in 2016. The township is waiting to see what North Dundas plans to do to repair the road. (South Dundas via Newswatch Group)

WINCHESTER – The council in North Dundas says it will be up to South Dundas to dig into its pocket if it wants additional upgrades to Irish Headline Road.

The northern council agreed last week to do the roughly $108,000 in work, suggested in a road condition review report by exp Services Inc. of Ottawa. That cost will be shared equally between the two Dundas townships ($54,000 each).

The engineer is recommending trimming the shoulders to improve water runoff. Exp Services Inc. also rated the road as good to very good condition.

But anything more than that will be on South Dundas’ dime.

“Further, that if the Municipality of South Dundas wishes to complete additional work on Irish Headline, that the additional work be solely at their expense,” read the resolution passed March 14.

South Dundas councillors were thumbs-down on that engineer’s report during their meeting March 7 and recommended that additional work be done including adding another layer of pavement (known as top lift) with a proper crown.

North Dundas Mayor Eric Duncan told Cornwall Newswatch Monday that their township standards are double surface treatment for township roads, also known as “tar and chip,” and having a top lift of asphalt on Irish Headline would open a floodgate of other requests for road paving.

Duncan said they would be doing only the recommendations from the exp Services Inc. report.

Irish Headline Road, which runs four kilometers from County Road 1 to County Road 16, has already had $110,000 in work done last year but some South Dundas councillors are upset with its condition saying there is water ponding on the road and areas where the culverts are sinking.

South Dundas council meets tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. though the issue of Irish Headline Road is not on the agenda.