The wait could soon be over for the start of construction to make over the main street through Lefroy in Innisfil.
Despite delays, design work is almost complete for the urbanization of Killarney Beach Road between Sideroad 20 and Ewart Street, as well as Pine Avenue for about 400 metres south of Killarney Beach Road.
The contract for construction is expected to go out for tender this winter, with work expected to begin in spring 2025 and continue through to fall 2027, according to Jeremy Dutka, manager of capital engineering for the town.
“We’re excited to get into construction next year. We don’t anticipate any further delays now that we’re at this stage of the game,” he said.
As recently as November 2022, the project was expected to be completed between summer 2023 and summer 2024, but unexpected delays arose due to staffing constraints and changes, issues with utility relocation, and changes to the design based on community feedback.
One such change is to include only one multi-use path on the north side of the street, rather than one on both sides as previously proposed, as that would have required removing numerous mature trees and reduced parking and snow storage on some properties.
Another change involved protecting an artesian well to prevent damage during construction.
Currently, the new design for the road is set to include full curbs and storm sewers in place of soft shoulders and ditches, the multi-use path in place of the sidewalk on the north side of the street, curb extensions to better define on-street parking areas, improved lighting, three pedestrian crossovers, a gateway feature between future streets, and a fresh road surface.
“We think that, overall, it’s more than just a replacement,” Dutka said.
He explained that with both the road and sidewalk reaching the end of their life cycles, staff saw an opportunity to “create this urbanization, and really a more effective roadway,” for those both inside and outside of motor vehicles.
That’s at least partially thanks to the multi-use path, which is expected to vary between two and two-and-a-half metres in width to help provide plenty of room and accessibility for people walking, cycling, pushing strollers or using mobility scooters, while also keeping them separated from traffic on the street.
“It creates this whole community around a rebuild instead of just putting a new road down,” Dutka said.
A hardscaped section of boulevard on the northeast corner of the intersection with Carson Avenue is also expected to maintain parking for local businesses while better distinguishing the area from both the street and the pathway.
The whole concept was guided by the town’s 2018 transportation master plan, 2018 sidewalk needs study and 2016 trails master plan, with the town awarding the design contract to Morrison Hershfield for $1.24 million, and despite the changes, Dutka is confident the design will come in at or below budget.
The total cost of construction will be dependent on the proposals received, but the town is estimating the full cost of the project, including design, will be around $12 million.
While the speed limit after reconstruction hasn’t been finalized, Dutka expects it will likely be either 40 or 50 km/h and emphasized the street has been designed to be safe at either speed, as it follows both Ontario provincial design standards as well as the Transportation Association of Canada guidelines.
Also originally part of the project, the section of Killarney Beach Road east of Ewart Street has already been resurfaced, as was Church Drive when water main work was completed on that street.
More information, including the previous version of the design, can be found on the town’s website.
