Information session on County Road 49 tonight

The County is hosting a public information centre for the County Road 49 rehabilitation Wednesday, June 10 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Prince Edward Community Centre (375 Picton Main Street).

Mark Kerr, The County’s Communications and Consultation Supervisor, reports designs for the project are complete, and work is tentatively scheduled to begin during the 2026 construction season. A substantial completion date of Nov. 1, 2028 is stipulated in the tender.

The $18,679 tender was awarded to R.W. Tomlinson, the lowest bid covering the 17.3 of concrete, on the 18.4km total roadway from the Quinte Skyway Bridge to Picton. Council was pleased to see the lower number as estimates from 2021 suggested the project would cost about $23 million.

“Attendees will have a chance to learn more about the work planned and ask staff questions about the project.”

Opened in 1966 as a provincial highway, County Road 49 was downloaded to the municipality in 1998. The County has struggled to keep up maintenance, and has been spending upward of $175,000 a year on temporary patch fixes. The road consistently ranked among CAA’s top 10 worst roads in Ontario.

Multiple councils have campaigned higher levels of government over the years. In March, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation earmarked up to $44.5 million for the project. That amount incorporates a municipal contribution of $7.8 million for the urban section of the corridor where Picton Main Street becomes County Road 49.

A minimum of one lane of traffic, operating under alternating directions, is to be maintained at all times throughout construction.

During this construction season, the contractor anticipates completing the following work:

Rubblizing County Road 49 between County Road 15 (Northport Road) and Civic Address 684 County Road 49.
Placement of granular material followed by the first and second overlay of asphalt
Subdrain installation
Culvert replacements
Box culvert waterproofing