Clare Ave. extension to open by spring
DAVE JOHNSON
A vital transportation link in the west end of Welland should be open by next spring, city council heard Tuesday night after approving a staff report.
The link will also open up land to local developers.
“Finally, some good news in Ward 3,” said Ward 3 Coun. John Chiocchio as he spoke about the extension of Clare Avenue between Lynbrook Lane and Webber Road.
The extension will be the second phase of a project to open up the link between the two roads.
Phase 1, which was completed in 2015, included all the underground infrastructure, watermain, storm sewer and sanitary sewer work, a staff report said.
The report said Phase 2 includes all the surface works: road base, asphalt, curbs, a sidewalk on the west side, hydro infrastructure and traffic signals at Webber Road.
Council awarded a contract for the work to St. Catharines-based Rankin Construction Inc. at a cost of $422,959. Work is expected to get underway soon and continue late into the year, depending on weather.
Erik Nickel, the city’s manager of engineering services, said the new traffic signals at Clare and Webber will be installed in early spring when paving is completed. He said if the city is able to put up the enhanced street lighting in the area earlier, it will.
Nickel said a crosswalk with pedestrian push button signals will be installed.
Ward 1 Coun. Mark Carl wondered if the older section of Clare Avenue, in the area of the new Vanier Estates subdivision, would be fixed at the same time. Carl said that section of road is in rough shape.
Nickel said staff is aware of the road’s condition and it will be addressed once the developer of Vanier Estates is finished with the subdivision.
“We’ll bring it back in a future budget,” he said. dajohnson@postmedia.ca