Countdown for Main Street reconstruction is on

It’s a significant project and there will be lots of traffic disruptions.

Huntsville’s Main Street will get a complete makeover. The project, scheduled to begin March 1, will span an estimated 0.6 kilometres from Lorne Street to the swing bridge and will cost about $12.5 million (excluding HST).

The contract for $12,483,406.84, has been awarded to Dufferin Construction Company, and the District of Muskoka and the Town of Huntsville have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for Huntsville’s portion of the project at an anticipated $3.69 million.

The District will undertake the cost of replacing aging water, sewer and stormwater infrastructure, minor improvements to the swing bridge such as weatherproofing and repainting, and minor water and sewer works along River Street. The Town of Huntsville will pay for the new streetscape as well as an anticipated $300,000 for improvements to Kent Park at the corner of Brunel and Main.

Some of the highlights planned for Huntsville’s Main Street (from Lorne Street to the swing bridge) as per the Town’s streetscape site, which you can find here, include:

• A new gateway at Lorne Street and Main Street marks the entrance where a broad view of Downtown Huntsville unfolds.
• Crosswalks marked with special paving will ensure safe pedestrian crossings and a signal to vehicles to slow down while travelling on Main Street through downtown.
• Both sides of Main Street have on-street parking in bays identified with special pavers that can also be locations for temporary café areas or extra seating in the summer.
• A new Town Square in front of Town Hall and the Algonquin Theatre has special paving that extends from building face to building face. When Main Street is closed for events held year-round in Downtown Huntsville, this area will be the heart of the festivities.
• Sidewalks will be lined with street trees that have room underground to stretch their roots, be aerated and watered, ensuring healthy, long-lived trees.
• Muskoka chairs will be set out along the sidewalks of Main Street. “Muskoka Moments”, featuring granite boulders and areas planted with alder, birch, conifers, and dogwood, will bring the surrounding landscape onto Main Street.

The work will be done in stages with road closures, and the corresponding detours, expected at each stage. District staff have put in place a reward/penalty system to encourage the contractor to abide by the set timelines due to the importance of Main Street as a main thoroughfare and the disruption the work will mean for businesses and patrons downtown.

Huntsville and District Councillor Brian Thompson told his fellow Huntsville councillors at their January 25 meeting that Bracebridge councillors are watching the development of the project with interest “because I think they’re going to be in a similar situation in the next four or five years when Manitoba Street will probably be subject to the same kind of thing as what we’re experiencing this year coming.”

The anticipated project timeline calls for the paving of the entire length of the project sometime around May, 13, 2022, with completion of the entire project anticipated for the end of that month. Regular updates are expected here.

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