Town council moves engineering work ahead for possible crosswalk

Amherstburg Municipal Building.

A new crosswalk for Lowes Side Road and Sandwich St. S. could be one step closer after town council voted to move work ahead regarding engineering reports.

Instead of waiting to put $15,000 in the 2026 town budget, council voted to draw $15,000 from the plans and studies reserve to get the process started more quickly.

Councillor Diane Pouget voiced concerns with the matter and the timing thereof.

“I’m concerned about this because we all know it’s very, very dangerous, especially for those living with disability issues at Blue Haven,” said Pouget.

Pouget expressed her appreciated efforts made by Mayor Michael Prue and Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb at Essex County council to have the speed limit near that intersection lowered to 50 km/hr from 70 km/hr. 

“That’s very helpful,” she said, “but (people) are still having a very, very difficult time crossing this busy intersection at Lowes and Sandwich.”

Pouget voiced concerns over timing of the project and that the original recommendation would have the engineering costs put into the 2026 budget. 

Costs to do the actual work would come as a result of that report, with construction costs not yet known.

“Right now, we don’t know what the solution would be. It’s a very odd intersection. The engineer needs to look at the orientation of the intersection, the traffic counts, those sorts of things, to recommend the appropriate crossing,” said manager of engineering Todd Hewitt. “Once they determine what the appropriate crossing is, then they can determine what the approximate cost would be to complete.”

Hewitt added once the engineering team gets the estimates, administration can bring those back to town council but added the construction costs would not be able to be included in the 2026 budget.

Deputy CAO/director of development services Melissa Osborne said even with council deciding to start engineering work Monday night, the work would not be done and the solution to the issue would not be known in time for budget deliberations.

Councillor Don McArthur said he favoured going into reserves to push the matter forward.

“The reality is this – when it’s time for budget, we’ll have a ballpark,” he said. 

Hewitt said the $15,000 for engineering works would cover costs for a recommended solution and to prepare an estimate. The estimate would be for a detailed design and for construction.

“Until they determine what solution is appropriate for that intersection, it’s very difficult to surmise what that crossing may cost or the engineering involved. What this would do is get us to a point where we would have a more detailed engineering number for council’s consideration,” said Hewitt. “I don’t see that we’re going to have that for 2026 deliberations.”

Councillor Peter Courtney believed there has to be some money earmarked for the project. Osborne said if the town waits for a report to come back, it would be a fulsome report with detailed costs for council to decide upon.

McArthur said the first step is an informed decision and wanted detailed information as soon as possible. 

“In order to be in the most informed, engaged position come budget time, I think we have no choice but to take step number one tonight,” said McArthur.

McArthur said he uses that intersection regularly and believes a crosswalk or traffic measure needs to go there. He said voting in favour of an engineering study would give them the information they need.

Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb agreed something needs to be done.

“It is a very unique intersection,” said Gibb. “There is no other place to Sandwich St. S. until all the way to Pickering Dr. It certainly is something that is needed.”

Gibb suggested the report have different options for council to decide what is best, but Hewitt the engineering firm would come back with the most cost-effective option with a level of safety that is required. He said they would get the most appropriate solution for the location.

Asking for a report with multiple options is a possibility but that might incur extra costs as additional cost estimates would have to be provided, Hewitt stated.

Prue said when the budget comes forward, town council could put more money in reserves that what they would ordinarily need.

“We could put $100,000 or $200,000 into the reserve and we could pull that at any point during the year,” the mayor said.

Prue suggested getting the study completed and when the budget comes along, additional costs for the project could be put into it.

Town council moves engineering work ahead for possible crosswalk

By Ron Giofu