The City of Burlington has allotted more than 50 per cent of its spending towards roadways in its 2019 capital budget.
In this year’s total planned expenditures of $96.4 million, the largest component of $49.5 million is earmarked for roadways.
This falls within Burlington’s 10-year, $819-million capital budget, of which 72 per cent will be invested in renewing the city’s aging infrastructure.
The most extensive road project is the Waterdown Road North Rehabilitation and Capacity Improvements which has a $25.4-million price tag.
“The Waterdown Road project is a joint project between the City of Burlington, (the) City of Hamilton and Halton Region. Waterdown Road reconstruction will take place from Craven Avenue to Mountain Brow Road,” said City of Burlington project manager in the capital works department, Jeff Thompson.
“The project will transform Waterdown Road from a two-lane rural cross section to a three-lane urban roadway with a four-lane width platform, complete with a multi-use pathway, street lighting, new storm sewer system, new watermain, as well as a new traffic signal at Waterdown Road and Mountain Brow Road.”
The city is currently in the acquisition phase of the project and after that stage is complete the environmental assessment and permitting will take place.
“Our tentative schedule has utility relocations starting in 2020 and finishing in 2021, with the main construction project contract beginning in 2021,” said Thompson. “We anticipate the main project tendering to take place in early 2021.”
Other major road projects, some requiring multi-year funding, include:
- Strathcona Drive Area Minor Reconstruction; $3.2 million (2019)
- Rexway Drive Area Minor Reconstruction; $3.2 million (2019; $2.2 million in 2020)
- Ester Drive Area Minor Reconstruction; $2.8 million (2019)
- Lakeshore Road and Multi Use Pathway Resurfacing; $2.3 million (2019; $2.3 million in 2022)
- Deer Run Avenue Minor Reconstruction; $1.4 million (2019)
- Ghent Avenue and Hagar Avenue Minor Reconstruction; $1.0 million (2019)
Main facilities spending will include:
- $600,000 in funding for new amenities at Tansley Woods Park, including new lighting for pathways and a parking lot, a new pickleball court and shade structures
- $550,000 in funding to build a new splash pad in Brant Hills Community Park for summer 2020
- $450,000 in funding for a new sports lighting system for the ball diamond and pathways at Maple Park.
“The 2019 capital budget makes very important investments in transit and infrastructure and I look forward to continuing the respectful discussions with council about the proposed operating budget to find ways that we can deliver a final tax increase under three per cent,” said Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward.
Also in the breakdown of spending for the 2019 capital budget is:
- $10.1 million for facilities and buildings
- $8.4 million for parks and open spaces
- $6.3 million in stormwater management
- $10.6 million towards fleet vehicles and equipment
- $9.5 million for information technology
- $900,000 for local boards (Burlington Public Library, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Art Gallery of Burlington, Burlington Museums)
- $1.1 million in parking.
“The 2019 capital budget places a strong focus on investing in our existing infrastructure to ensure the city can continue to deliver the high-quality services that residents depend on. The budget also provides funds for new initiatives that contribute to the quality of life our residents enjoy in the city,” said Joan Ford, director of finance.
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