Chatham-Kent has missed out on some provincial funding when it comes to road improvements.
Director of Engineering Chris Thibert says the municipality applied to the Connecting Links program for improvements to a section of Dufferin Avenue in Wallaceburg.
“We will continue to apply for funding in the future, we were made aware during the OGRA (Ontario Good Roads Association) Conference that the Connecting Links program would be continuing into the forseeable future,” Thibert says. “As we do every year since 2016, we have been actively applying for many different projects.”
Thibert says the Dufferin stretch is in desperate need of repairs, and the municipality needs provincial support to maintain it.
“We do recognize the pavement conditions based on the ratings that we have as well as the infrastructure there is in poor condition,” Thibert says. “We do want to address it in a timely manner.”
Thibert says it’s a long stretch of road, and will require a significant amount of money to repair.
Connecting Links funding only applies to municipal roads that connect with provincial highways like Highway 40 and Highway 2.
The last round of funding paved the way for work on a section of Grand Avenue East, connecting to Highway 2, which is slated to begin later this year.
Thibert says since CK was approved for funding in the last round, it’s not surprising they were denied this time around.
Submissions for the 2021-22 round of funding will begin being accepted in the fall, and Thibert says the municipality will be working closely with the MTO to ensure its application is up to snuff.