Ontario Construction News staff writer
The City of Orillia is planning to spend $55 million on major construction projects over the next eight years, including a downtown revitalization estimated to cost $18 million.
Projects also include reconstruction of Front Street, re-alignment of Centennial Drive, constructing a sanitary pump station, building a transit terminal and reconstructing the main street is about $55 million.
“As many of the projects are interconnected, a systematic execution is essential to the successful implementation of the vision of our downtown,” Wes Cyr, the city’s manager of engineering and transportation said in Orillia Matters.
Cyr provided descriptions of each project and a schedule for the work:
Front Street Reconstruction Project: 2019 and 2020
$14 million
Phase 1 is the reconstruction of Front Street South from Queen Street to Colborne Street East and phase 2 will commence in the spring of 2020 and involve the reconstruction of Front Street from Colborne Street East to Neywash Street.
Centennial Drive Realignment/Reconstruction Project: 2021 – 2023
$15 million
The Centennial Drive/Waterfront Area project focuses on realigning the Centennial Drive right-of-way to enhance traffic flow and promote active transportation and vehicular traffic connectivity between downtown and the waterfront.
Transit Terminal – 2022 – 2023
Mississaga Street/Downtown Improvement Project
Estimated cost: $18 million
The Mississaga Street project – 1,820 linear meters of roadway and five signalized intersections focuses on safe pedestrian movements and accessibility throughout the Mississaga Street corridor (Front Street to Albert Street), and improved services.