Arnprior is working with the County of Renfrew to realign a main road in town. John Steckly, the Operations Manager for the Town of Arnprior, provided an update to the County of Renfrew Operations Committee on Tuesday, February 14th, 2023. The Town of Arnprior is looking to discuss cost sharing opportunities to improve the intersection at County Road 2 (Daniel Street) at Galvin Street and Edey Street.
TRAFFIC MEDIAN INSTALLED IN 2021 TO RESTRICT LEFT TURNS
The Town of Arnprior submitted a written request to the County of Renfrew in December of 2020 asking for financial contributions for the project. The request was not granted, but a traffic median was installed in 2021 to restrict left turns onto Galvin Street from Daniel Street. Town staff say this has caused an increase in traffic at the nearby intersection of Daniel Street and James Street. The Town of Arnprior says increased traffic volumes and the layout of the intersection of Daniel Street with Galvin Street and Edey Street have led to unsafe conditions for traffic and pedestrians. The Town of Arnprior has since moved forward with a detailed design for a realigned signalized intersection and plans to move forward with construction in 2023.
FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE COUNTY AND TOWN
The Town of Arnprior is requesting the County of Renfrew contribute to the project by constructing the urban cross section, curbs and gutters, a paved boulevard between the curb and sidewalk, covering utility relocation costs, property acquisition and a portion of storm sewers. The Town of Arnprior is proposing to pay for sidewalks, water or sanitary sewage works, some land acquisition, paved shoulders, and 50% of the construction of additional parking lanes.
RENFREW COUNTY 2023 BUDGET DOES NOT ALLOCATE FUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT
Last month, the Operations Committee directed county staff to develop a funding business case for the intersection improvements to be part of the 2023 budget discussions. On Tuesday (Feb. 14th, 2023), the operations committee recommended that county staff prioritize the Daniel Street intersection project for 2023 and defer it to the budget workshop discussions. The current proposed 2023 budget does not allocate funds to contribute to this project. The County of Renfrew budget workshop is scheduled for February 22nd and 23rd, 2023.
COUNTY STAFF SAY SAFETY BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE COSTS
The County’s contribution to the intersection realignment is estimated to be approximately $700,000 ($684,356.96 excluding HST). County staff believe the funding request can be accommodated with adjustments to the current budget. County staff say the cost of contributing to the intersection realignment is outweighed by the safety benefits and traffic flow improvements. Arnprior’s Operations Manager says project costs are estimated around $1.3-million, not including nearby property acquisitions the Town is undertaking on their own.
(written by: Rudy Kadlec)
