Drivers may need to pump the brakes while travelling through certain stretches of Bradford as the town works to maintain its roads.
According to documentation from the town, crack sealing and micro-surfacing are complete, and urban and rural road rehabilitation projects are well underway in various locations.
Work on Magani Avenue, Hulst Drive and Gres Court includes asphalt cold planing, road-base preparation/repair, maintenance hole and catch basin adjustments, the removal and replacement of curbs and sidewalks, driveway tie-ins and boulevard restoration where required, and the installation of hot-mix asphalt.
Work began on May 4 and is expected to be completed by Aug. 4, but in the meantime, expect temporary lane restrictions, sidewalk closures and restricted access to residential driveways.
Work on Line 9 and Artesian Industrial Parkway includes partial depth asphalt cold planing, road base preparation/repair, the installation of hot-mix asphalt, driveway tie-ins (asphalt and gravel), the installation of granular shoulders as required, and the installation of line markings.
Work began on May 4 and is expected to be completed by Aug. 11, but in the meantime, pack your patience if you're driving in the area.
The town also has ongoing seasonal projects including: line marking, rural road re-graveling, gravel road dust control and sidewalk repairs.
In order to maintain all of the town’s 564 lane kilometres of road, Victoria Simoes, community relations officer, explained that the town performs a roads need study every five years based on guidelines from the Ministry of Transportation Ontario, and staff provide council with an update on the town’s asset management plan each year before the budgeting process begins.
“Maintenance is ongoing as staff are completing asphalt patching throughout the town at this time. Please respect the rules of the road, keep you speed down and be patient as everyone waits to get home at the end of the day,” Simoes said via email.
Of course, the most well-known construction is probably the South West Arterial Road (SWAR) project which is in the process of rebuilding and realigning portions of Sideroad 10, Line 5 and Line 6 to accommodate the expected population growth in town.
The $15-million project is being handled by Primrose Construction, and also adds sidewalks from Langford Boulevard, west along Line 6 to Sideroad 10, and north to Holland Street West.
Phase 1 of the project was mostly completed by late May and included Sideroad 10 from Line 6 to north of Line 5, a roundabout south of Line 6, and Line 6 from approximately 100 metres west of Sideroad 10 to east of Langford Boulevard.
Phase 2 began in early June and includes a new curve connecting Sideroad 10 and Line 5 as well as a new access to Line 5 from the new Southwest Arterial Road along with the reconstruction of Line 5 from Coffey Road to Sideroad 10.
As part of Phase 2, Sideroad 10 is currently closed between Line 5 and Line 6, but expected to reopen on Aug 4 at 4 p.m.
Phase 3 is expected to begin in early August and includes Sideroad 10 from Line 6 to Holland Street West, and the town expects additional road closures to accommodate the installation of new road crossings, culverts for Fraser Creek and to also expedite construction.
In addition to the town’s road works, the County of Simcoe has ongoing work to realign the intersection of County Road 5 and County Road 88 to create safer approaches, accommodate turning lanes and improve traffic flow. Minor lane closures continue as a result.
The county also recently announced that excavation and drilling work for their 50-unit affordable housing project on Simcoe Road, next to the Bradford and District Community Centre, will impact both pedestrian and vehicle traffic starting July 31 and those impacts are expected to last about three weeks.
The county expects alternating, intermittent closures of the east and west sidewalk on Simcoe Road, from Marshview Boulevard to Edward Street as well as alternating intermittent closures of both northbound and southbound road lanes.
While travel within the closed lane will be restricted, the county said access to driveways will be maintained.
The county plans to provide directional signage and traffic control to help direct pedestrians and vehicles.
Farther south off Simcoe Road, Danube Lane is set for an urban upgrade by A.R.G. Group Inc. who is responsible for the Bradford East Residential Development near the Danube Seniors Leisure Centre.
Work is expected to begin at the end of this month and run for 16 weeks, during which time Danube Lane will be closed, but visitors should still be able to access the seniors centre using the driveway on Simcoe Road.
Metrolinx is also working to upgrade the Bradford GO station including:
- 330 additional parking spaces and rehabilitation of the existing parking lot;
- A traffic signal at the Dissette Street entrance to improve traffic flow;
- New sidewalks that lead to the station from Dissette Street and Bridge Street;
- Upgraded station lighting and CCTV;
- Upgraded storm water system and management;
- Reconfigured bus loop with three new bus bays and a new heated shelter
This work might result in minor lane closures.
The nearby Cachet Homes development on Dissette Street has also seen the west side sidewalk closed from Jay Street to 144 Dissette St. to protect the public during the construction of the street front units and is expected to remain closed until about Oct. 15.
