City of Guelph can move forward with Niska Road bridge improvements
Posted Mar 21, 2017 01:31:31 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Good news for residents cut off by the closure of the Niska Road bridge in Guelph.
The City has been given the green light to proceed with their construction plans.
The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change found that a higher level of environmental assessment is not needed for the project.
Kealy Dedman, the City’s General Manager and City Engineer says this is great news, “We’re very pleased Minister Glenn Murray is satisfied with the level of environmental assessment we’ve undertaken to thoroughly study the Niska Road area and fully understand our community’s concerns (…) We’re now ready to proceed with the much needed improvements to Niska Road that support Guelph’s safe and efficient transportation system.”
Over the next four months, the project will undergo a Heritage Impact Assessment, a natural heritage study and community consultations on the final design which may include cycling lanes.
The final design will be posted here before construction starts. The city expects that design to be released in the fall, with the goal of finishing construction in 2019.
The final price tag is expected to ring in around $4.5 million; $2.1 million for road improvements and $2.4 million for the bridge.
Dedman adds, “We will be updating environmental studies and conducting ongoing environmental monitoring as we work toward a detailed design for the road and bridge that meets our community’s needs and respects the natural and cultural environment.”
The Niska Road Bridge was closed at the end of February due to safety concerns.
