County Road 49 construction set to begin – survey to help shape project

The County of Prince Edward will be providing updates on the $21.6 million rehabilitation of 17.3 kms of County Road 49.

Contractor R.W. Tomlinson Ltd., is to begin moving equipment and signs into place beginning on Monday, June 29.

Work begins with replacing culverts along County Road 49 starting in early July and taking approximately three weeks to complete. During culvert replacement, there may be single-lane closures in the vicinity of the work. Flaggers will help maintain the flow of traffic and minimize delays.

The major structural rehabilitation of County Road 49 is expected to begin mid-to-late July. Crews will start at County Road 15 (Northport Road) and work their way south.

The contractor anticipates completing subdrain installation, culvert replacements, box culvert waterproofing, concrete rubblization, placement of granular A, and the initial 19 mm asphalt lift by the end of the 2026 construction season.

A more detailed construction schedule is under development. Substantial completion date for this project is Nov. 1, 2028.

The municipality is conducting a survey to support the rehabilitation of County Road 49. The findings will help shape both the project and how information is shared with residents, businesses, and visitors.

Click here to fill out the survey.

The survey will take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Paper copies are available at Shire Hall. You can also call Customer Service at 613.476.2148 extension 1023 to arrange to complete the survey over the phone. The deadline to fill out the survey is 4 p.m. on Monday, June 29.

The road experiences average daily traffic volumes of approximately 6,000 vehicles, with peak traffic occurring during morning and evening rush hours. This includes commercial and industrial traffic.

Opened in 1966, County Road 49 spans 18.4 kilometres, of which 17.3 kilometres is concrete pavement. The road connects Picton, the municipality’s largest settlement area, with the Bay of Quinte Skyway Bridge, one of the largest entry-points into the municipality from Highway 401. County Road 49 has reached the end of its natural lifespan. It consistently ranks as one of the worst roads in Ontario by CAA.

Members of provincial parliament, Prince Edward County staff and council at the Prince Edward County Roads Department at the announcement of provincial funding for the rehabilitation of County Road 49. – Sharon Harrison photo

On March 19, 2026, the Province of Ontario announced funding of up to $44,500,000 for the rehabilitation project. This funding includes a municipal contribution of $7,805,700 for the 1.1 km urban section of the corridor, which is being constructed as part of the Picton Main Street Phase 3 project.

Council awarded the tender for construction to R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. on May 26, 2026 in the amount of $18,679,000 plus applicable taxes.