After many decades of debate, a crosswalk is now under construction in downtown Erin, intended to provide greater safety and convenience for pedestrians.
The Town of Erin is paying for the project, with an estimated cost of $96,000, but maintenance will be handled by Wellington County, which is responsible for Wellington Road 124.
The crosswalk is located in front of the post office, with curb build-outs on each side of the road that will bring pedestrians to the edge of the live traffic lane, where they can be seen by drivers.
Pedestrians will push a button to illuminate overhead signs and the marked walking path on the pavement.
Drivers and cyclists must yield to pedestrians and remain stopped until they have fully crossed the road.
The project was delayed late last season after bids came in over the $50,000 budget, but new bids this year were even higher.
The lowest qualified bid was from Serve Construction.
The extra $46,000 will come from the paving budget for other projects where bids came in under budget.
In 1972 Erin village council, concerned about the risks being taken by pedestrians in the area, asked the Ontario Ministry of Transportation to install a crosswalk on what was then Highway 24.
The province refused, saying the loss of parking spaces and the extra stopping would cause congestion on the highway. The issue has arisen many times since then, but Wellington County rejected recent requests, saying there were not enough pedestrians to justify a crosswalk.
Some downtown businesses had concerns about the loss of parking spaces, but now that the parking lot behind McMillan Park has been paved, the Business Improvement Area (BIA) board is supportive.
“We’re thrilled that the crosswalk is finally going ahead,” said BIA chair Chris Bailey.
The crosswalk will be at a fire hydrant, which was already a no parking zone, so no parking spots will be lost on the east side of the road.
Up to four spots will be eliminated on the west side.
