Makeover for Aqueduct Street
$1.7-million project to be completed by November
Aqueduct Street between Niagara Street and Thorold Road will be upgraded this summer with new sidewalks on both sides of the road, curbs, a parking lane on the west side and three speed humps.
The $1.7-million project, awarded to Catalina Excavating Inc. of Stoney Creek, also includes a new watermain, new services to property lines if required and new fire hydrants.
Ward 4 Couns. Pat Chiocchio and Tony DiMarco said the project is long overdue. They are pleased to see it being done and said it will make many people in the area happy.
“The residents have been waiting a long time for this, there were a lot of safety issues with kids walking down the street … it was unsafe,” said Chiocchio.
Ward 2 Coun. David McLeod asked about the need for sidewalks on both sides of the streets.
Erik Nickel, Welland’s general manager of infrastructure services, said there was public consultation last year and upwards of 50 people in the area engaged and were asked what they felt is needed.
Nickel said there are three schools in the area and a nearby commercial area and that public opinion was very strong for sidewalks on both sides of the street.
“It’s a local collector road and that would require them,” he said.
McLeod and DiMarco asked about the speed humps and whether there was speed data collected and how it was determined they are needed.
Nickel said any data collected wouldn’t have been conclusive because of the deterioration of the stretch of road, which was closed off at the north end at least a decade ago.
“We’ve heard from residents and personally witnessed excessive speed. The road is 600 metres long and there are no cross streets … it’s been identified as a great candidate for speed humps,” Nickel said, adding the permanent humps won’t cause damage to vehicles and are plowable.
Asked whether a bike lane would be installed as well, he said school-age children are permitted to cycle on city sidewalks and there would be no bike lane.
The project is expected to start this summer and be finished by November.