WELLINGTON COUNTY - The County of Wellington Roads Committee has approved the County of Wellington Road Master Action Plan (RMAP), which is a multi-year study on the county’s large road network that recommends a large investment on many roads nearing capacity limits.
“It’s difficult to explain that this is a long-term master plan as everything has to be budgeted for,” explained Warden Kelly Linton at Tuesday's meeting.
“The master plan is comprehensive and things have to change across the county because of growth and difficult decisions have to be made. We’re not just moving ahead with projects that are one-off, that’s why we have a master plan.”
The road master action plan (RMAP) began in January 2021 to look at Wellington County’s road needs and improvements to 2041.
Preliminary recommendations find seven road segments are expected to reach or exceed capacity limits in 20 years. identifying $136.2 million in improvements to the roads and gives a recommended time frame for each.
One of the recommendations is improvements to Wellington Road 124 within five years at a cost of $15.8 million.
These recommendations include adding roundabouts, road widening and centre left turn lanes.
Committee members were satisfied with the master plan, however, coun. James Seeley was still discontented with the road widening of Brock Road and Wellington Road 46 between Maltby Road and Wellington Road 34.
“I find it a little concerning in this report that there’s a recommendation looking for a bypass for one community, but a widening project for another community, creating more traffic around there,” noted Seeley.
“The widening of 46, to me, doesn’t even service Wellington County as a community because it’s connecting an urban centre to the 401. We’re spending $10 million for another community, so if you want to knock some good change on the road and infrastructure deficit, there’s some good opportunity right there.”
In July 2021, Puslinch council sent out an email to Don Kudo, county engineer, regarding the road widening project of Brock Road and Wellington Road 46, noting that Brock Road has one of the highest truck volumes and no bypass is being considered for Aberfoyle.
The email also noted the upcoming midblock interchange project, which will begin construction at the end of 2022, and questioned whether the project has been factored into the RMAP.
Kudo answered back via email that specific projects related to the Hanlon improvements were not included in the development of the volume assessment. However, the overall role and impacts of the Hanlon project was taken into account as part of the analysis.
“To expand Brock Road into four lanes is not ideal for Puslinch Township. We understand that most parties agree that Morrison bypass will not have an effect on traffic patterns, but the MTO is going ahead with this midblock interchange. I’m confident that the widening should not happen in the 10-year forecast, and that the midblock should be completed,” explained Seeley during the meeting.
