It’s summer and you know what that means: It’s construction season!
On Monday, council committee paved the way for spending more than $850,000 on its “asphalt resurfacing program.”
Originally, $690,000 was approved in the 2018 capital budget for this year’s program and an additional $70,000 was green-lighted to rejuvenate Municipal Parking Lot 7 on Andrew Street South.
However, when the city tendered the project, only one firm, Dufferin Construction Company, answered the call, submitting a quote for $850,683.50 to do the work in question – that’s about 17 per cent higher than the approved capital budget.
Part of the reason for the higher price tag, staff noted, is that asphalt costs have skyrocketed 14 per cent in the last year.
In addition, it was determined additional work would will be required to “provide safe pedestrian/vehicular interaction as well as replacement of some of the deteriorating appurtenances within Lot 7.”
With that in mind, council committee agreed to use $45,500 from the roads reserve and an additional $83,500 from the parking reserve fund to bridge the gap between the budgeted amount and the actual amount.
Once the decision is ratified Thursday, Dufferin will have the green light to work from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and must complete the work by September. No construction work is allowed on Sundays or statutory holidays.
The project includes resurfacing of the following streets:
- Bay Street from Fittons Road East to Drinkwater Drive;
- Bennett Street from Raymond Avenue to end;
- Broadview Avenue from Couchiching Point Road to Dale Drive;
- Drinkwater Drive from Bay Street to Bridget Drive;
- Eleanor Road from Walker Avenue to Mississaga Street West;
- Emily Street from Nottawasaga Street to Harvey Street;
- Frederick Street from Mississaga Street West to Memorial Avenue;
- Glencoe Avenue from Carleton Street to Memorial Avenue;
- Queen Street East from West Street South to Front Street;
- Woodside Drive from Mary Street to Mississaga Street West; and
- Municipal Parking Lot 7, Andrew Street South
The work related to Parking Lot 7 will take about three weeks to complete and it’s expected there will be a temporary lot closure in September to accommodate the work.
Staff noted Parking Lot 6 has capacity for additional permit parking, and based on historical usage rates, it is expected that existing parking permit holders in Lot 7 will be able to purchase parking permits in Lot 6 during the closure.
