Tie-vote halts Fort Frances roundabout proposal

A proposed roundabout has been stopped by Fort Frances council.

A decision to award a contract for the design work of the project for the Central Avenue, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Streets intersection was defeated in a tie vote at Monday’s council meeting.

Administration was able to lower an original bid of $256,000 to $210,648.

Ninety percent of that cost would have been covered by a provincial grant because the project falls on a municipal road that provides a link to the provincial highway network.

The remaining $30,000 would be covered by the town.

Councillor Bill Morrison rejected it because of the changing numbers he has seen since the project first came to Council.

It was initially estimated that a roundabout would cost $1-$2 million.

A consultant’s report pegged it closer to $4.7 million for a two-lane version.

“There are alternatives to that intersection that can be done cost-efficiently, safely and bring it up to standard and to do it responsibly without overspending millions more than initially estimated,” says Morrison.

Administration notes the lights at the intersection have been failing for some time and that the intersection does not meet Ministry of Transportation standards.

Operations and Facilities Manager Travis Rob says Council’s decision not to award the design work contract will likely mean having to return the provincial grant.

“If Council has changed their mind, we would be forfeiting that funding and going back to Connecting Link, potentially next year, for funding to redesign the intersection to retain signals,” says Rob.

He estimates the cost of the design work to still be around $200,000, while the consultant’s report estimated a redesign of the intersection costing as much as $3 million.

Council did not decide on what direction would now be taken.