The much maligned West Street bridge over Highway 11 is going to be replaced.
And part of the design of the new structure includes a four-metre-wide multi-use trail to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians making their way to Orillia Square and beyond.
That good news was delivered to city council Monday night by Jim Dowell, the senior project manager for WSP, a consultant working with the Ministry of Transportation on the design of the new bridge. Construction will likely begin next year.
“The existing structure is about 45 to 50 years old,” said Dowell. “It has a history of being struck primarily by south-bound traffic and that’s the primary reason for this project.
“The structure has deteriorated much more quickly than we’d normally anticipate, so it is in need of replacement so that’s what we’re going to do as part of this project.”
In addition to a new bridge, the project includes interchange reconstruction and associated improvements.
After considering almost a dozen alternatives, officials have selected a preferred configuration for the on-ramps and interchanges.
The proposed plan includes “improvements to the existing ramp and existing southbound off ramp and adds a new ramp in the south west quadrant,” explained Dowell.
He said the proposed changes “will improve the operation of the west ramp terminal and also facilitate entry onto the highway by the aggregate haulers that are currently hauling aggregate out of Severn Township.”
Those trucks will no longer have to make a left-hand turn to access Highway 11 south, but rather will have direct access.
The new bridge is going to be “offset slightly to the south” to allow the existing bridge to be used during construction. Dowell said traffic will flow across the bridge throughout the construction period.
The multi-use trail is proposed to be built on the north side of the bridge. To help accommodate pedestrians and cyclists, the intersections at ramp terminals will be 90 degrees.
That means these will not be high speed ramps and the crossings will occur at signalized intersections.
“That will make things a little easier for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Dowell.
It’s not yet been determined how the trail will be delineated from through-traffic. Dowell said various options are being pondered.
“We are considering a number of alternatives to delineate the multi-use trail from through traffic,” he told councillors. “We are considering things like a concrete barrier, the use of precast curbs with bollards on top, straight bollards mounted on pavement.
“To be honest, this is a relatively new endeavour for the ministry,” he said. “They haven’t, in the past, been open to … accommodating cyclists and pedestrians” in this manner.
Some city councillors were also concerned about snow plowing of the trail. Currently, when plows clear snow on the bridge, the snow fills up the makeshift sidewalk on the bridge, making passage treacherous.
“My concern is (when) plowing the bridge, where’s the snow going to go?” asked Coun. Pat Hehn. “Will it be blocking the pedestrian walkway? Will you keep that clean?”
Dowell conceded “Orillia has a significant amount of snow” and stressed this is being considered.
“The current plan is to have, basically, a shoulder next to the through lanes on the bridge,” said Dowell, noting that could be two to three metres wide. “That’s where the snow storage goes.”
As for the trail, he said you “basically have to push snow from one end of the bridge to the other.”
One of the design options being considered is creating a space at the end of the bridge to plow that snow. The responsibility to plow the trail will likely fall on the city.
If you want to know more about this project, visit the website devoted to the initiative.
If you want to talk to the experts and officials, a public open house will take place Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Leacock Room of the Quality Inn and Conference Centre on Woodside Drive.
This is a drop-in forum that is open to the public.