It could be a trickier drive in the short term in order to finish construction work at the intersection of Highway 6 and County Road 109 in Arthur.
On Monday night, Wellington North council agreed to Cox Construction’s request to allow night work at the intersection to speed up the work.
The company was contracted by the Ministry of Transportation to rehabilitate Highway 6 between Arthur and Fergus. However, in accordance with that contract, work is prohibited between 9pm and 7am Monday to Saturday, Sundays, and on statutory holidays. In addition, the company is required to meet municipal noise bylaws.
However, M.J. Kelly, an MTO contract engineer, stated in a letter, "In light of the traffic volumes at the intersection of Highway 6 and Wellington County Road 109, Cox Construction has requested permission to pave the intersection and vicinity at night."
Before the Ministry of Transportation approves the request, municipal approval is needed.
Kelly’s letter cited the advantages of night work;
– less traffic, and, as a result, the joints should be better and the surface more consistent. Therefore the pavement should last longer;
– fewer delays for traffic;
– since placing of hot mix pavement is temperature sensitive and it is cooler at night, the intersection could be completed earlier than if done during the day;
– the contractor can place the top course of pavement at the same time. If restricted to day time work only, the surface pavement may not be completed until 2008; and
– reduced impact on the commercial businesses in the vicinity.
Although no specific deadline was known when the work would start, Kelly stated Cox Construction estimates the work would take five nights to complete and it planned to start this month. The five nights is an estimate, depending on a number of things, including the weather.
Mayor Mike Broomhead suggested that any calls from the public be fielded directly by public works chairman Dan Yake, or Works Superintendent Gary Williamson.
Yake, however, believes most people in the area will be glad to see the job done, "whether they march through the night or not … and anyone travelling through the area will appreciate getting the job done."
