Construction sign on 16th Street East in Owen Sound. (photo by Matt Hermiz)
Owen Sound is submitting an application for a provincial grant as it looks to complete the Highway 26/16th Street East rehabilitation project.
Council approved a recommendation at its meeting on Monday to apply to the Ministry of Transportation’s Connecting Links funding program to finance part of the $1.2-million reconstruction of 16th Street East from 16th Avenue East to 18th Avenue East.
The project would include the replacement of a 51-year-old watermain, curb and gutters, sidewalks, storm water structures and asphalt resurfacing. If the application is successful, the Connecting Links grant funds would cover up to 90 per cent of eligible costs — or $585,000.
The city’s share of the total project cost would be $615,000, as the watermain work is not eligible for funding.
The first phase of the 16th Street East rehabilitation project included the reconstruction of the road between 9th and 16th Avenues. It was completed earlier this year. Owen Sound received more than $900,000 in Connecting Link funding for the $2.2-million first phase.
According to a report by Owen Sound’s Director of Public Works and Engineering Dennis Kefalas, the city would not proceed with any of the work next year if it is unsuccessful in obtaining the grant funding.