With Phase 1 of the city’s Laclie Street reconstruction project nearing completion, work on the second phase is slated to begin after this long weekend.
Phase 2 of the project will bring $7.2 million worth of road reconstruction and infrastructure replacement along Laclie Street, between Borland Street and Parkhurst Crescent, including a new water main, sanitary and storm water sewers, new sidewalks, and new traffic signals at the North Street intersection.
Only local traffic will be permitted in the affected areas, with traffic rerouting planned along Coldwater Street, West Street and Fittons Road.
Coun. Tim Lauer said while there may be traffic issues for neighbourhood residents, the project will bring long-needed improvements to one of the city’s arterial roads.
“There was no doubt about it — it was time to redo it,” said the longtime Ward 4 councillor.
“It was not a great scene, certainly, for the last year under construction, but it’s just a growing pain you have to put up with. I think everybody will be really pleased with the final result.”
He gave credit to city engineer Stan Martinello, who handled the design.
“He came to the conclusion that it should remain as a two-lane road, and I think that’s really important for the neighbourhood,” Lauer said.
Last year, residents along Matchedash Street experienced a surge in traffic as Phase 1 of the project unfolded, leading to the installation of temporary traffic measures along the road, which will be reinstalled during Phase 2.
Traffic-calming bollard lane reductions will also be installed on Jarvis Street, between Laclie and Matchedash streets, as well as on Peter Street.
“Traffic is like water — if it can find an easier way to go … that’s the way they’re going to go,” Lauer said. “In this case, instead of going all the way over to West, they were coming up Matchedash and Peter. That caused a lot of problems and concerns, so we did put in traffic calming last year, and again this year.”
Throughout the project, Orillia Transit service will transition from the “current detour on Matchedash Street North to the regular Laclie route for the outgoing service and a new detour on Canice Street from North Street East to Coldwater Street, where it joins the regular Laclie route,” the city stated in a news release.
The entire Laclie Street reconstruction project will be completed across four separate phases.
