Prince Edward County is calling on the provincial and federal governments to support the municipality in its efforts to rehabilitate County Road 49.
“The deterioration of this critical road has gone on for too long; enough is enough,” Mayor Steve Ferguson said in a release.
“The County has done everything it can to move this project forward and it is ‘shovel-ready.’ Now is the time for the upper-levels of government to join us at the table.”
County Road 49 spans 17.5 kilometres of concrete pavement. It connects Picton with the Quinte Skyway Bridge.
It is infamous for its potholes and general condition.
The road has been consistently listed in CAA’s annual Worst Roads list including receiving the dubious distinction as the worst road in Ontario in 2016.
According to the County, the average weekly cost to maintain the road is $3,500 or $182,000 annually.
This includes material, equipment/vehicles and staffing.
In a release, the County says it is seeking an equal cost-sharing agreement with the upper levels of government based on other large-scale infrastructure projects.
“We want to send a clear message to the federal and provincial governments that this community is serious about fixing County Road 49 as quickly as possible,” Councillor Chris Braney says in a release.
A working group has been created by County council to address the issues with the road.
Among the ideas being considered by the group is a community benefit fund to support the rehabilitation.
The rehabilitation project is fully designed and shovel-ready at a cost of $29.5 million.
A feasibility study and design study has also been invested in by the County to help ensure that the project is ready for tendering if funding from upper levels of government become available.
When asked by media how long the project could take, Mayor Ferguson said while there wasn’t a concrete timeline, the number being batted around was three to four years.
“It’ll have to be done in stages,” Ferguson told media.
“We’ll get more information from the engineering people and roads people as to how to do it as quickly and efficiently as possible. I think it’d be multiple, multiple stages much like the (Quinte Skyway Bridge) has been a five-year project.”
