Highway 9 will be periodically closed between Harriston and Clifford during a construction project now slated for next spring and summer.
In March, Minto council agreed to a Ministry of Transportation (MTO) request for an exemption from the town’s noise bylaw to permit the reconstruction of Highway 9 between Harriston and Clifford to include overnight work.
At the Aug. 10 meeting, chief building official Terry Kuipers advised council the project did not start in 2018 as anticipated and MTO plans to retender the project this fall with a revised construction period of May 1 to Oct. 31, 2019.
“The scope of the project has changed slightly with them closing the road from Monday morning to Friday. Before it was going to be open to limited traffic, that sort of thing,” Kuipers said.
In a letter to the town, MTO officials advised that Highway 9 between Clifford and Harriston will be closed to through traffic for short periods of time from May to September to allow for specific construction operations. Any closures will occur on weekdays between Monday at 5am and Friday at 9pm. Outside those times, the highway will be open to through traffic, the letter states. Also, Highway 9 will be open to through traffic on all Saturdays, Sundays and statutory holidays.
During the periodic closures, through traffic will be detoured along Highway 89 east of Harriston and Wellington Road 2 south of Clifford. The MTO letter states that access to all businesses and all properties will be maintained.
“I think it will be open more than it’s closed,” commented CAO Bill White.
The MTO indicates the project will include pavement reconstruction, culvert replacements and minor electrical work and is anticipated to begin in spring 2019.
The letter also notes a large number of mature trees within the ministry’s right-of-way along Highway 9 were removed in 2018 to address roadside safety improvements, poor condition of the trees, or impact to the root systems by drainage and ditch improvements.
“The ministry has developed a replanting plan for this area and plans to plant replacement trees after construction is complete,” the letter states.
In approving the new timing of the noise bylaw exemption, council maintained the same conditions as the previously-approved exemption, including a 50-metre buffer in front of dwellings along the construction route unless specific permission was obtained from occupants for night construction. Council also required a review of the exemption every 30 days during the construction period.
Mayor George Bridge opined the intermittent road closures may be due to the number of culverts.
Councillor Judy Dirksen asked if there was any chance closure would affect only part of the construction route, with Minto roads being used as detours.
“Highway 9 has a phenomenal amount of traffic and our roads aren’t really built for that kind of wear and tear. We just have to keep our eyes and ears open for any compensation for this,” she said.
“That’s why I think we have to be involved in some of this planning,” said Bridge. “Remember the new government said people first, business second and whatever. So people are involved. We should be getting a word in on this.”
