SD&G – Work on transforming County Road 2 through Morrisburg could start by fall if South Dundas and the United Counties of SD&G are successful in getting money from a Canada-Ontario infrastructure fund.
County council endorsed a joint application to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) on Monday morning – a $30 billion bilateral program – which could cover up to 83 per cent of the project up to $5 million for each local government (up to $10 million total between the two governments).
The entire Morrisburg streetscape – including new road surfaces, sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks, medians, entrance improvements, landscaping and street lighting – is estimated to be $2-3 million.
County Planning Director Ben de Haan told council the Morrisburg streetscape project can be considered a “very strong” project that is “shovel ready” because they are at the “tail end of design” and will be completed by the time the ICIP money is awarded.
ICIP applications are being taken until mid-May.
If approved for the funding, De Haan said a “good chunk” of the work could start this fall before winter sets in.
Coun. Steven Byvelds (South Dundas) said he was very willing to partner with the county and he was surprised by the level of interest after 100-plus people showed up to an open house in March to see the proposed designs. “We’re ready…we’re a willing partner.”
Asked about the roundabout that’s going at County Road 2 and County Road 31, de Haan said they have been holding the traffic light system together as long as they can but there are problems with the traffic light controllers and the signals. “Everything in that intersection needs to be fixed,” he said.