A new truck route is again being explored by the town of Fort Frances.
Administration has put forward four possible routes for council to consider.
All use Eighth Street.
One option calls for connecting the two sections of Eighth Street. This option would mean crossing the CN tracks twice.
Hand out supplied by the Town of Fort Frances
Three others propose using Eighth on the west side of the tracks with new roadways starting just south of Couchiching First Nation. Two of the options would route vehicles to McIrvine Road and King’s Highway.
One would require the need for three private land and a home potentially having to be relocated.
Hand out provided by Town of Fort Frances
Another would follow that same route, with Eighth being extended west toward a new road that would exit onto Highway 11 across from Pit Road #2.
Hand out provided by Town of Fort Frances
The fourth option would bring the connection to Highway 11 around private property but run through some of the Eighth Street walking trails.
Hand out provided by Town of Fort Frances
Operations and Facilities Manager Travis Rob estimates construction costs for three of the options to be between $30 and $47 million.
Rob says the cost to connect the two sections of Eighth was not explored because of the road having to twice cross the tracks. He says the frequency of train traffic could potentially lead to those crossings regularly being blocked.
Discussion of the truck route is still very preliminary.
Mayor June Caul says no matter which option the town looks at further, there will be a significant impact on the public.
“We have to think about whether we’re are removing one problem (for) one group of people to another, so we really need to consider people when we’re doing that,” says Caul.
More discussion is planned.
It includes speaking to CN and the Ministry of Transportation for their input.
