Highway 10 (Toronto Street) in Markdale. (Google Maps image)
A major road reconstruction project in Markdale is moving ahead.
Grey Highlands council awarded a $5.8-million contract to Cox Construction during its meeting Wednesday morning for the reconstruction of Highway 10 (Toronto Street North & South) in Markdale.
It was the lowest of four bids received, and came in about $1-million under the number budgeted by the municipality for the work.
“I think it’s important to note that not really anything has happened to this (road) since the download in the 1990s,” Grey Highlands Mayor Paul McQueen says. “I know it’s going to cause a little bit of aggravation for the traffic … but it’s a project that’s way overdue. We’ve been trying to get funding for this for quite a long time, and the funding came in this year.”
Grey Highlands is receiving up to $5-million through the Ontario government’s Connecting Links program — which covers eligible costs related to the design, construction, rehabilitation and replacement of certain municipal roads and bridges — for the major road reconstruction project.
The timeline for construction is expected to be established in the near future. Councillors were told the target for substantial completion is Dec. 1, 2026, implying work should get underway sometime later this summer or early fall.
Coun. Nadia Dubyk: “The coordination and the communication with the community as we move forward with such a big project is always so important. I’m sure we’ll continue to build out a plan to ensure we’re working with our businesses, community and neighbourhoods so they’re aware of the timeline and what to expect.”
Grey Highlands Director of Transportation and Public Spaces Chris Cornfield adds it’s been outlined in the tender to maintain traffic-flow and access to businesses along Highway 10 in Markdale while construction is being completed.
“Obviously, we are very aware of stakeholders within the community, the businesses that need to be able to utilize Highway 10,” Cornfield says.