CR 30 roadwork begins Monday
County construction season arrives in Trent Hills
Northumberland County says work will begin on Monday on County Road 30 north of Campbellford and will continue until October.
One lane will be kept open but drivers should expect delays, the county says. The work will be done between the 8th Line West and the 11th Line West.
The $2.1 million project will include:
Replacement of existing cross culverts to improve drainage.
Replacement of roadside safety devices.
Removal and replacement of the full-depth asphalt roadway.
Installation of new pavement markings following completion of construction.
“This rehabilitation project will address aging infrastructure, improve roadway conditions, and extend the service life of County Road 30 while supporting the long-term resilience of our transportation system,” said Peter Deshane, Associate Director, Engineering and Public Works.
To minimize disruption, at least one lane of traffic will remain open during construction hours, with two lanes reopened outside of working hours whenever possible. Motorists should expect temporary lane closures, reduced speeds, and periodic delays while work is underway, the county warns.
During that same period, just north of the project the bridge over the Trent River will be closed 10 weeks for repairs, resulting in detours. The county hasn’t announced when that work will start.
In June I wrote about several county projects that will be under way this summer.
Alto CEO discusses rail plans
I know some people have been following every twist and turn in the federal government’s plans for the Alto High Speed Rail line that may pass through here, but I imagine some of you haven’t been.
If you want to catch up with what Alto CEO Martin Imbleau says, I recommend listening to his conversation with CBC Ottawa on July 22.
Imbleau says it is likely the line will include a stop in Kingston since the local government there and Ottawa think it’s a good idea. That means some version of the southern route will be followed.
Imbleau explains that not every train would stop in Kingston, but there would be a few each day that would pick up and drop off passengers, while express trains blow by on separate tracks.
The CEO also discusses how the rail line would handle passing through farm country. The track would be elevated so that cattle and farm vehicles could pass underneath in some spots. “We will share our access roads with the farmers so they are not significantly impacted,” he said. “This is done everywhere in the world, why would Ontario and Quebec be different?”
When Alto purchases a piece of land it will pay fair market value and pay for a 100 years of lost revenue for farmers, he added. “We’re talking significant dollars for the farmers.”
If no agreement can be reached with a landowner expropriation will be the last resort, he said.
Imbleau said 300,000 people provided comments and suggestions online. He said that this fall Alto will provide the detailed straight alignment needed for the Ottawa to Montreal route, the first segment to be built.
The alignment for Toronto to Ottawa should be available “some time in the spring,” Imbleau says.
The key goal, what Imbleau calls his obsession, is having Alto trains make the Toronto to Montreal trip in under three hours and Toronto to Ottawa in under two hours.
You can read all Trent Hills News stories on my website here.