Drivers who travel though downtown Port Elgin will have to pack their patience starting next week.
Phase 1 of the Ministry of Transportation’s Connecting Link Program will see road rehabilitation work on Goderich Street (Highway 21) begin on Monday. The stretch of road between Concession 6 and Concession 10 will undergo resurfacing, restoration of its historic brick intersections, and some minor underground infrastructure upgrades.
The first phase includes underground service replacement and interlocking brick replacement at the intersections of Gustavus Street and Green Street.
The second phase will then begin on May 19 with underground service replacement and interlocking brick replacement at the intersections of Mill Street and Elgin Street, as well as the new asphalt between Market Street and Emma Street.
Each of the first two phases is expected to take approximately four to five weeks to complete.
The downtown work is being done first in hopes of completing it before the busy tourism season.
A timeline for when the remaining three phases will be completed has not yet been set. Phases 3 through 5 will see paving and underground infrastructure replacements along Goderich Street between Ivings Drive and Concession 6, Emma Street and Concession 6, and Market Street and Concession 10. The public will be notified once exact start dates have been determined.
Goderich Street will be closed in sections as underground services are installed. Detour routes have been established to help navigate drivers around the work. Pedestrians will still be able to access downtown businesses throughout the construction period and alternate parking areas will be provided.