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PHOTO CREDIT: Highway 148 - MTO Public Information Centre

MTO planning to start work on Highway 148 in Laurentian Valley in 2023

By myFM News/Oldies 107.7 staff Nov 21, 2022 | 1:51 PM

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is planning to start work on Highway 148 in Laurentian Valley in 2023.

That’s according to project Manager Chris Belanger who tells myFM the improvements will include the installation of traffic signals at the intersection of Highway 148 and Drive-In Road.

The project will also see the intersection of Highway 148 and Greenwood Road realigned with merging lanes extended to address safety concerns.

The MTO says the project is expected to start in the summer of 2023 and take two and a half construction seasons, but timing is subject to change based on funding, planning, design, environmental approval, property acquisition, utility coordination and agreements with municipalities and construction requirements.

The project team is recommending that work at intersections be a continuous operation (24 hours a day) to expedite the work.

The MTO is also working on agreements with local municipalities that would see sidewalks along Highway 148 from the City of Pembroke to Drive-In Road.

A public information session was held at the Best Western in Pembroke earlier this month to go over the scope of the project. Belanger says feedback received from the Public Information Centre is currently being reviewed.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

RECOMMENDED PLAN
HIGHWAY 148 FROM ANGUS CAMPBELL DRIVE TO DRIVE-IN ROAD

  • New curbs will be constructed and minor road widening will occur to accommodate a continuous two-way left turn lane.
  • A curb will be installed with drainage and storm sewer upgrades to capture the roadway surface water run-off.
  • New traffic signals will be installed at the intersection of Highway 148 and Drive-In Road.
  • Existing watermain and sanitary sewer systems will be re-located.
  • Access improvements through consultation with property owners.
  • From west of Angus Campbell Drive to Drive-In Road, a new continuous two-way left-turn lane will improve left-turn access to adjacent side streets and properties along Highway 148.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
ANGUS CAMPBELL DRIVE / RANKIN STREET INTERSECTION

  • The existing signals will be replaced with new signals. The intersection will be upgraded to meet current design standards and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
  • Dedicated southbound left and right turn lanes will be added.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
WALMART ACCESS (NO CHANGE)

  • The existing signals will be replaced with new signals. The intersection will be upgraded to meet current design standards and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
ROBINSON LANE INTERSECTION (NO CHANGE)

  • The existing signals will be replaced with new signals. The intersection will be upgraded to meet current design standards and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
DRIVE-IN ROAD INTERSECTION

  • The intersection of Highway 148 and Drive-In Road is currently unsignalized with stop signs on the Drive-In Road approaches.
  • Traffic signals are required at the intersection based on current MTO standards.
  • Therefore, traffic signals will be installed and dedicated turn lanes will be added as part of this Study.
  • The Ministry is reviewing timing to explore implementing the signals at Drive-In Road as soon as possible in construction. The timing of this work is subject to the timing of tending, property acquisition, utility relocations and construction requirements.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
HIGHWAY 148 FROM DRIVE-IN ROAD TO TRAXTON WAY

  • Maintain a two-lane rural cross-section.
  • Rehabilitate the existing pavement and provide 2.5 m wide paved shoulders.
  • Revise the Greenwood Road intersection by modifying the westbound right-turn channel and extending the merge lane.
  • Add an additional southbound lane to bypass left turning vehicles onto Old Mill Road.
  • Access improvements through consultation with property owners.
  • A southbound lane to accommodate left turning vehicles onto Old Mill Road will be installed, as shown on the Design Roll Plan.

RECOMMENDED PLAN
GREENWOOD ROAD INTERSECTION

  • The Intersection of Highway 148 and Greenwood Road will be modified to tighten the radius of the west-bound right intersection channel to mitigate safety and operational concerns associated with vehicles merging into the Highway 148 northbound lane.
  • The northbound merge lane will be extended to allow more time for vehicles to merge onto the Highway.
  • During construction, the new alignment will be built in phases, and the old channel will be abandoned and landscaped.
  • Culvert C5 directs flow from north to south under Highway 148 east of the Greenwood Road intersection. Given the age of the culvert and the condition of the outlets at the waterline, Culvert C5 will be replaced with a new precast concrete culvert of similar size and length.
  • Limited weekend and/or night work is anticipated for Culvert C5 replacement.
  • Re-Alignment of Highway 148 and Greenwood Road Intersection.

More details on the project are available online here.

(written by: Rudy Kadlec)

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Laurentian Valley Mayor hopes to see work move ahead on Highway 148 with new lights at Drive-In Road