Federal Gas Tax Funds to support completion of the widening of County Road 17 in united counties of Prescott and Russell

• Backgrounder

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United Counties of Prescott and Russell, Ontario, August 18, 2006 - Pierre Lemieux, MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on behalf of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Gary J. Barton, Warden of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, are pleased to announce that the United Counties of Prescott and Russell will use federal gas tax funds to complete the widening of County Road 17 in Rockland, in the City of Clarence-Rockland.

In 2005, the Government of Canada signed an agreement with Ontario, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the City of Toronto to provide over $1.8 billion in federal gas tax funding, over five years, to cities and communities across Ontario. The United Counties of Prescott and Russell will receive over $6.2 million, over five years, through this program. The Counties' first two-year allocation of $1.5 million will be used to help finance the widening of County Road 17, formerly known as Highway 17, in the vicinity of Edwards Street in the City of Clarence-Rockland.

"I am pleased to see federal gas tax funds at work here in Clarence-Rockland, addressing important local infrastructure needs. This project will produce real benefits for local residents, such as reduced congestion and decreased travel times," said Mr. Lemieux. "Through investments such as these in our cities and communities, the Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to build strong communities that offer prosperity, a healthy environment and a high quality of life."

The project will consist of completing the widening of County Road 17 from the existing widening done in 2004. This will add an approximate 250 metres of widened road, east of Edwards Street, for a total project distance of approximately 700 meters. Two additional turning lanes will also be added at the intersection of Edwards Street and traffic signals will be upgraded.

This project will immediately improve the flow of traffic and accommodate the fast growing commercial development. Once completed, this project will permit free flowing of traffic as it acts as a major arterial link between Ottawa and Montreal, without causing disrupting delays.

Work is expected to start in early September 2006 and to be finished in the summer of 2007.

"The widening of County Road 17 will improve traffic flow and provide safety improvements to this section of road. I am pleased to see that the Government of Canada recognizes the importance of stable and long term funding through the Gas Tax Funding Agreement. The Agreement permitted Prescott and Russell to fast track such an important project for the Clarence-Rockland community and I am sure it will permit the accomplishment of many others in the future" said Mr Gary Barton, Warden of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell.

Federal gas tax funding promotes partnerships between the municipal sector and their associations, the province and the Government of Canada to help build strong and sustainable cities and communities and will see Ontarians enjoy cleaner air, cleaner water and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

For further information contact:

Natalie Sarafian
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Lawrence Cannon,
Minister of Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities
Tel: (613) 991-0700

Infrastructure Canada
Communications Directorate
Tel: (613) 948-1148

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Backgrounder

United counties of Prescott and Russell

Sustainability outcomes of investing in widening of County Road 17, in the City of Clarence-Rockland as per Schedule C of the Municipal Funding Agreement Guide

Project Description and Location

In 1998, under the Provincial Who Does What initiative, County Road Number 17, formerly known as Highway 17 was transferred to the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. County Road Number 17 is a major arterial road, which is also part of the Trans-Canadian Highway system, which does not only serve local traffic but many travelers between two major cities, Montreal and Ottawa. Over 20,000 vehicles per day travel on this section of road.

In 2004, due to traffic issues and pressure from the commercial owners and ratepayers, a traffic study was done and showed that a need to widen County Road 17 to four lanes was imminent in order to alleviate traffic issues.

In order to avoid future disruptions to the fast growing commercial development area, a section of 1.1 kilometres was widened to four lanes. This project was supposed to be done later on, however, pressure from the commercial development created a need to deal with the traffic issues urgently.

Edwards Street access is the main intersection to access the Rockland downtown area. Adding to the traffic issues on County Road 17, the existence of a gas station and a Tim Hortons on the northeast quadrant of the intersection of County Road 17 and Edwards Street, creates great stress on the intersection.

The project will consist of widening County Road 17 from the existing widening done in 2004 to approximately 250 meters east of Edwards Street, for a total project distance of approximately 700 meters.

Therefore a total of approximately 1.5 lane kilometres will be added to the site. Two additional turning lanes will also be added at the intersection of Edwards Street. Traffic signals shall be upgraded since the existing ones are out of date and are unable to handle the turning issues.

Due to narrowing down of County Road 17's right-of-way, there is limited space east of Edwards Street, storm sewers will be installed to permit the construction of additional lanes.

Project Rationale and Project Outputs

The shorter term benefits of the project will relieve the existing traffic issues for both the traffic and for the fast growing commercial development. On a longer term basis, it will permit free flowing of traffic as it acts as a major arterial link between Ottawa and Montreal, without causing disrupting delays.

Allowing the road to deteriorate would lead to load restrictions. By doing so, it would increase travel distances to vehicles accessing local industries, the downtown core commercial area thereby increasing ghG emissions.

The ditches shall be filled in some areas, improved in other areas and relocated in some others, therefore improving the drainage on the road and ultimately improving the water quality.

A few years ago, the Counties used the cold-in-place pavement recycling process on County Road 17, with very good results. It is intended to use the same process for the existing asphalt that will be kept on the existing traffic lanes. By doing so it will eliminate trucking of materials to and from the project, thereby limiting ghG emissions and obviously a better benefit of reducing the demand for new petroleum products by reclaiming the existing asphalt cement.

By widening the road and adding turning lanes, the project will reduce congestion, increase travel speed and save on travelling time or minimise travel distances. By doing so, this will reduce ghG emissions and air quality negative impacts and also increase level of service that lead to reduced vehicle operating costs and fuel consumption.

The addition of left turn lanes, right turn lanes, and through lanes will reduce the need for through traffic to slow down, stop and wait for the turning vehicles to complete their turning movements. Therefore this will significantly reduce vehicles idling and acceleration thereby supporting environmental sustainability by reducing ghG emissions. Finally, by upgrading the traffic signals by providing separate left turn indications and the installation of vehicle detection will reduce idling and ultimately ghG emissions.

The traffic lights along County Road 17 will be designed in a matter that traffic on County Road 17 has the right-of-way, unless vehicles are waiting to turn left or go through the intersection by way of detection. This avoids many disruption and grievance for through traffic on a major arterial road. There are three other traffic lights west of Edwards Street within a distance of 2 kilometres.

Estimated Project Costs and Projected Milestones

The total project is estimated at approximately 1.5 millions dollars plus GST. The construction is expected to take approximately 13 weeks.

The following is a schedule of eligible costs with the major milestones.

Description	Milestone	Cost
Preconstruction Engineering (EA requirements, preliminary design, design, tendering)	June 9, 2006	$ 35,000
Construction starts	July 4, 2006
Construction ends	September 29, 2006	$ 1,263,636
Construction Engineering (Inspections Services and Project Administration)		$ 65,000
Sub-total		$ 1,363,636
Contingencies (10%)		$ 136,364
Total		$ 1,500,000
GST		$ 105,000
Grand Total		$ 1,605,000