Over a million dollars worth of improvements could be coming to a Chatham trail.
On Monday night, council will vote on awarding a $1.3-million contract to Armstrong Paving and Materials Inc. for the reconstruction of Mud Creek Pathway.
Mud Creek Pathway is a 4-kilometre long walking and cycling route that passes through several parks and green spaces. The green space starts at Indian Creek Road West, runs along Mud Creek Drain toward Sylvester Drive, follows the drain down to Tweedsmuir Avenue West and continues along the drain to the hydro corridor that runs south of Bristol Drive in Chatham.
According to the staff report going to council, the pathway has seen better days.
"The asphalt pathway within the green space varies in its condition," read the report. "The pathway consists of many areas that are deteriorating quickly and/or consistently flooding while others are still in relatively decent shape."
Mud Creek Pathway is described by staff as being "heavily used" due to its length and various different route options. The path also provides a safe route to various schools within the community and it is frequently used by local organizations as a place to host their special events and fundraisers.
According to the report, municipal staff placed a counter along the path, which has captured 100,927 users, averaging 278 daily users, with a peak day of 779 users over the last 12 months.
If approved, the project would widen the pathway to 3-metres, give it lane markings to help ease bi-directional traffic and have more accessible road crossings as well as increased signage for crossing awareness.
"Mud Creek Pathway is a hub for the community," the report read. "People enjoy the space to walk, run and cycle. However, the current width and the deteriorated condition of the pathway in some areas cause issues with our community requiring a more accessible pathway... The older pathway has done so much to benefit our community over the years, widening the pathway will make it more accessible to all facility users and provide more opportunities to better serve our community."
A request for proposal for the reconstruction project went out in mid-May. Based on the three companies that put their names forward, Armstrong Paving and Materials Inc. was selected based on the municipality's scoring criteria.
According to the report, the costs will be covered through the previously approved 2021 Mud Creek Lifecycle Reserve, 2022 approved grant funding and funds that were allocated in the 2021 capital project list.