Owen Sound council decided to move ahead with status quo replacement for the reconstruction of a stretch of 4th Avenue West.
Council voted 6-2 in favour of the option during its multi-year capital plan meeting Tuesday, settling on a path forward of “status quo with modernization” for the reconstruction of 4th Avenue West between 15th and 20th Streets West after numerous discussions in previous meetings.
City council decided to go with a design option that would maintain on-street parking in the area, rather than pursuing a second one that would have eliminated it in favour of boulevard space.
“The more people that I talk to that drive this road daily, they (say) ‘just get it done, it’s been this way forever. We just want it paved,'” Coun. Melanie Middlebro’ says.
Discussions have been ongoing for months to finalize the design plan for the reconstruction of 4th Avenue West between 15th and 20th Streets. The operations committee in April recommended council move ahead with a project that would have integrated a new multi-use path.
But council decided against that option, and then deferred the project until 2027. The loss of parking, lane width, snow removal and traffic calming were among some concerns brought up during various council discussions in April and May.
The 4th Avenue West reconstruction project is expected to be tendered for the 2027 construction season.
The project will include the replacement of underground infrastructure such as sewer pipes, as well as sidewalks and the asphalt road surface.
The city has more than $9.1-million allocated in its multi-year capital plan for the work.