The first phase of moving Talbot Trail away from the coastal erosion on Lake Erie has been given the green light.
Municipal council voted to endorse the first phase of the project by reopening Talbot Trail from Coatsworth Road to Stevenson Road.
President of BT Engineering Steve Taylor said the new Talbot Trail will head north along Coatsworth Road to 2nd Concession Line and turn easterly to Stevenson Road and south to Talbot Trail.
"Phase 1B will complete the western terminus section of the recommended plan and will entail relocating Talbot Trail northerly from Ellerbeck Road to Coatsworth Road along 2nd Concession Line," read a report to council. "Local access roads will be constructed when Talbot Trail no longer provides safe access to properties."
The road, which has been closed since July 2019, is a key connection to many communities and provincial parks including Rondeau, Wheatley, Blenheim, and Point Pelee.
To minimize field partitioning and maintain normal farm practices, the new route will follow hedgerows and lot lines to maintain current field patterns where feasible.
"Existing buildings and barns have been avoided," read the report. "Impacts to significant woodlots have been minimized where possible and alternate areas for naturalization will be explored."
The proposed roadway will have a 36-metre right-of-way with a multi-use trail that will be on the south side of the new Talbot Trail.
According to Taylor, the entire recommended plan is a long-term plan, which will be phased over 50 years or earlier in order to maintain arterial roadway access along the Lake Erie shoreline.
Final recommendations from the municipality's environmental assessment study will be available for the public to review for a period of 60 days.
"These recommendations will allow municipal infrastructure to be protected beyond the effects of coastal erosion for the 100-year planning horizon including climate change," the report read.
Despite endorsing Monday night's recommendations, Ward 1 Councillor Mark Authier said he did not like the report and felt it was not needed at this time.
"They held up getting the road done for this study," said Authier. "I believe they should have fixed this location right at the start. I would have preferred the road to go on the 3rd Concession."