Contractors host Aug. 4 MTO open house for Highway 7 project

by Chris Daponte

ROCKWOOD

Ministry of Transportation (MTO) contractors will host a public open house on Aug. 4 regarding the Highway 7 reconstruction project here.

The meeting will take place at the Rockmosa community centre from 4 to 7pm.

Mayor Chris White bemoaned the lack of notice about the meeting - the township received a letter announcing the meeting on July 27 - but said it’s a sign there’s finally going to be some action on the project.

“Obviously we would have preferred more notice, but this is not a public meeting prescribed under the Planning Act; it’s a just a courtesy meeting,” said White. “At least they’re moving ahead.”

Township officials expected the reconstruction of Highway 7 to begin weeks ago, and had asked MTO officials to provide more information to residents on the project.

In a letter to the township as well as Rockwood property owners and tenants, John Riggs, project manager with Delcan Corporation, referred to the Aug. 4 meeting as a “pre-construction open house,” although he later noted construction will actually commence on Aug. 2 - two days before the meeting.

The reconstruction project, which officials have said will cost around $8-million, is expected to be completed by Nov. 25. Graham Brothers Construction Limited was awarded the contract in June.

The area affected runs northeast on Alma Street from just beyond Fall Street to the corner of Main Street, and southeast along Main past the intersection with Halton Regional Road 32.

Highway 7 traffic, at various locations, will be reduced to one lane daily and restored to two-way traffic at the end of each working day. Motorists are requested to use alternate routes.

“We acknowledge that some inconvenience/impacts will be experienced by adjacent property owners, businesses and the general public,” Riggs said in his letter.

“However, access to all businesses will remain open at all times and every attempt will be made to minimize the inconvenience as much as possible.”

 

August 5, 2011