A Chatham-Kent councillor is getting the wheels turning on road upgrades in North Kent.
Councillor Joe Faas says property owners on Snye Rd., Seys Line, and Island View Rd. in North Kent will submit a petition to council on Monday for road upgrades. The same night, Faas will be presenting a motion of his own.
According to his report, these three roads represent the highest assessed residential and agricultural value in Chatham-Kent, with over $7-million in assessed value. He says this route serves as the only daily access point with 24/7 use for the Wallaceburg Water Treatment Plant raw water line, intake, and pumping station.
"I will bring the motion forward to support them in getting a study done as to what is required, what the cost of that road would be, and how that road would be paid for," says Faas.
Faas is requesting that Chatham-Kent Infrastructure & Engineering Services bring a report back to council and area residents by no later than June. He also wants petition organizers to be invited to make a presentation to council on that date.
According to Faas, there is a policy in place that assures the municipality will maintain roads in their existing forms, whether that be asphalt, paved, or tar and chip.
"We don't have a whole lot of money to do upgrades to roads, without trying to maintain the current roads as they are first," explains Faas. "Once we get into a position where we're 100% funded on infrastructure for roads, then at that point they'll probably be some movement to take gravel roads and upgrade them."
Faas says if an area wants to improve or upgrade a road that is classified as a local improvement.
