Shelburne Council considering sidewalks for County Road 124 

Written By Paula Brown

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Town of Shelburne is considering adding sidewalks along the east and west sides of County Road 124. 

During their meeting on Monday (Jan. 24), Shelburne Town Council received a presentation from town planner, Steve Wever, regarding potential future options for sidewalks and cost estimates for
the project. 

Wever noted to council that there is a sidewalk approved to be built on the east side of County Road 124 from Hwy. 89 to the entrance of a new development at Anishinaabe Drive. 

“There is a gap in the sidewalk network along the county road,” Wever told
councillors. 

According to the report, adding a section of sidewalk to close the gap on the east side of 124 from Anishinaabe Drive to Wansbrough Way would cost an estimated $495,000 plus HST. 

While on the east side of County Road 124 it would only take one section of sidewalk to fill the gap, on the west side the Town would need to install three separate sections of sidewalk from Main Street to Wansbrough Way. 

Broken-down in the report, the first section of sidewalk from Wansbrough Way to Steeles Street is estimated to cost $228,000, with the second section spanning from Steeles Street to Industrial Road roughly $235,000. The final section of the sidewalk, which would run from Industrial Road to Main Street, would cost around $116,000. 

To complete the entire strip of sidewalk in total it would cost about $724,000
plus HST. 

Because the road is almost entirely rural profile, Wever said there are challenges in adding a sidewalk, such as ditches that vary in slope and gravel shoulders. 

“It's not really designed for the addition of sidewalk like an urban roadway,”
said Wever.  

Additional factors that could affect the cost of the project include storm water management requirements, re-grading, utility impacts, signage, lighting, pavement markings, pedestrian crossing, Besley Drain crossing, landscaping, and right-of-way widening. 

Wever recommended that the sidewalk needs and options along County Road 124 be further reviewed and considered a part of the Transportation Master Plan.