Downtown street repaving continues
Public access to businesses remains during work
Nighttime repaving is still being carried out on several downtown streets as the summer goes on.
The city has budgeted $2.3 million for the repaving this year.
It means motorists ought to prepare for detours or lane closures to occur from time to time for more than a year.
The city hired IPAC Paving Limited of Richmond Hill to start repaving in May and to be done by fall 2025.
People will still have access to businesses and to sidewalks during construction.
The city posted updated details on June 17 on the scheduling into this month.
It states citizens can expect milling and paving operations to be carried out on the following streets (pending any unforeseen issues):
Water Street: Nightly between June 18 and July 5, with two to four days required for each operation.
Simcoe Street: Nightly between June 18 and July 5, with two to four days required for each operation.
George Street North: Nightly between June 24 and July 12, with two to four days required for each operation.
King Street: Nightly between June 24 to July 12, with two to four days required for each operation.
Meanwhile, the section of Aylmer Street North between Sherbrooke Street and Brock Street has already been resurfaced. That work was done this spring (it began in late April).
At a committee meeting on June 27, Coun. Kevin Duguay congratulated city staff on a new, smooth Aylmer Street.
“I’ve sent an email previously to staff, but I’m saying it publicly: Congratulations,” Duguay said. “It’s a vast improvement to what was otherwise an interesting section of road.”
At that same meeting, Coun. Keith Riel asked city infrastructure and planning commissioner Blair Nelson why Peterborough isn’t repaving even more streets.
“The biggest issue behind that is just budget. Funding,” Nelson responded. “We would do more if we had more money.”
Riel then asked whether the city could save money — and pave more streets — if it leased milling, grinding and paving equipment and had city staff do the work, rather than hiring an outside contractor.
Nelson said that’s been considered, but to his knowledge, no municipalities in Ontario lease their own equipment because it would mean taking on liability, plus hiring additional staff to operate highly specialized equipment.