Picton Town Hill will finally be getting a much needed facelift.
Prince Edward County council approved the transfer of money from the province Tuesday night that will see serious upgrades to the troublesome intersection before the year is up.
Through the provincial government’s Connecting Links grant the county was approved for 90% of funding for the project which works out to $266,848. The county will foot the rest of the bill to the tune of $29,649.77.
The Connecting Links grant program is designed to help Ontario municipalities “repair designated municipal roadways and bridges that connect two ends of a provincial highway through a community or to a border crossing.”
The county applied under the most recent round of funding and was approved once county staff met with Ministry of Transportation officials to talk about the safety concerns at the intersection.
The money will go towards putting in two pedestrian crossings, one at Paul Street and one at Bridge Street, improving directional signage, enhancing line painting, relocating or restructuring two retaining walls to improve line of sight, replacing curb depressions with barrier curbs and installing bollards with safety chains to direct pedestrians away from the intersection.
Under the conditions of the grant the project must be completed by December 31, 2021.
Councillor Brad Nieman expressed his concern of the possible future of putting a traffic light at the intersection given the slope and how that would affect drivers during poor weather.
Director of Development Services Peter Moyer said that while it’s not definite, it’s certainly a possibility given that the draft transportation master plan identified it as the best solution.
Moyer said that during inclement weather in off-peak seasons, when it will be mainly drivers who are familiar with the intersection, the light could be changed to a flashing yellow light or a flashing red light.
Council eventually put the matter to a vote and approved the transfer of money and the plans for the project.
