Road Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Projects

Click on the links below to learn about individual construction projects.

• Fifth Street West from Bedford Street to York Street
• Third Street East from Marlborough Street to Gloucester Street
• York Street from Fourth Street to Fifth Street
• Aberdeen Avenue from Marlborough Street to Gloucester Street
• Fifth Street East from McConnell Avenue to Marlborough Street including Watermain Extension on Baldwin
• Saunders Drive from approximately 150m north of Sebastien Road to Power Dam Drive
• Thirteenth Street / Sydney Street from Lourdes Avenue to Aubin Avenue
• Sydney Street from Ninth Street East to Twelfth Street East

Watermain Lining

The City's watermain lining program aims to improve water quality and system reliability. Many of the City's watermains are 50-75 years old and are in need of repair. Old cast iron pipes are subject to tuberculation build-up. What is tuberculation? It is the name for small mounds of corrosion that grow on the inside of cast iron pipes. The mounds build-up over time and make the inside of the pipe smaller. The mounds (or tubercles) also make the inside of the pipe rough. When the inside becomes smaller and rough, it makes water flow more slowly (because there is more resistance), which results in lower water pressure. Maintaining adequate water pressure is important for a lot of reasons, especially in case of fire.

Lining watermains helps improve the reliability of City's water distribution system. How? Breaks and leaks are more likely to occur in older pipes. If watermain breaks decrease, residents will have a more dependable water supply. It will also help the City to save money in unexpected repairs.

For many years, the City has lined watermains instead of replacing them.  Lining usually takes place in areas where the road and sewers are in good condition. What is the benefit of lining watermains? It repairs pipes without digging up the whole roadway. The Contractor digs small pits to access the main in key locations and works from there.

In 2023, the City will be lining the watermains on the streets listed below. For more information on the individual streets, follow the links below:

• Edythe Avenue from Robertson Avenue to Wallrich Avenue
• Queen Street from Susan Avenue to Wallrich Avenue
• Pitt Street from Cornwall Centre Road to McKenzie Street
• Sydney Street from Eleventh Street East to Twelfth Street East

Asphalt Resurfacing Projects

The Asphalt Paving Program reflects the needs which have been established in accordance with the Pavement Management System. In addition to those established needs, this program reflects our continued efforts to improve the road network throughout the City integrated with the overall strategy for linear infrastructure improvements. Based on MTO pavement design and rehabilitation methods as well as the municipal road evaluation experience of City staff, it is recommended that the following pavement condition rating (PCR) triggers be used in the evaluation and selection of streets for asphalt resurfacing/rehabilitation:

• Arterial Streets: less than 70
• Collector Streets: less than 60
• Local Streets: less than 50

Traffic volumes using Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) counts and posted speed limits are also important factors in the consideration for pavement rehabilitation. The City must also be mindful of the Ontario Regulation 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards for Municipal Highways and the associated requirements of the varying classification of highways (Class 1 to 6). In addition, comments and recommendations from Municipal Works maintenance personnel, buried infrastructure, as well as public sentiment must also be considered and factored into the decision making for pavement renewal.

Information on the individual projects for 2023 can be obtained by clicking on the streets below

• Guy Street from Third Street East to Fifth Street East
• Lancaster Crescent from Champlain Street to Champlain Street
• McConnell Avenue from Second Street East to Fifth Street East
• Robertson Avenue from Second Street West to Leonard Avenue
• Sunset Boulevard from Tollgate Road to Hemlock Crescent
• Twelfth Street East from St. Michel Avenue to Sydney Street
• Second Street West from Angelo Lebano Lane to Haulage Drive Including Widening for Bicycle Lanes

Sidewalk Construction Projects

• Fourteenth Street from Mary Street to Lisieux Street
• Joyce Street from Surgenor Street to Dover Road

Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Infrastructure

In 2010, the City retained IBI Group to prepare a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.  The plan recommended that the City invest in active transportation projects on an annual basis.  What is active transportation?  It is the term used when people use their own power to get from one place to another - like walking, cycling, skateboarding, rollerblading.

Active transportation is both great for the environment and our health.  Each year the City invests in building new bicycle lanes/recreational paths.

In 2021, the City was ranked as a silver level Bicycle Friendly Community by the Share the Road Cycling Coalition and the Canadian Automobile Association.

The bicycle infrastructure projects planned for 2023 are:

• New Bicycle Path from Pitt Street to Edgar Street
• Montreal Road Waterfront Trail Retaining Wall Replacement

 Traffic Signal Upgrades

The City currently operates and maintains 69 existing traffic signal locations. The City is mandated to comply with Provincial minimum maintenance standard legislation for traffic signals. With proper maintenance, the average life expectancy of City traffic signals is typically 30 years before requiring complete replacement.

This project includes upgrades to existing traffic signals at two intersections which will address aging and non-conforming infrastructure. Older intersections/traffic signals require upgrades and need to be updated to meet current standards to reduce the risk of failure.

The following Traffic Signal Upgrade projects are proposed for 2023:

• Fourth Street East and Marlborough Street
• Second Street East and St. Felix Street

The existing traffic signals at the intersection of Fourth St. E. and Marlborough St. were constructed in 1973 and have reached the end of their expected service life. Similarly, the existing traffic signals at the intersection of Second St. E and St. Felix St. were constructed in 1981 and are in need of replacement to meet present-day standards. 

 Street Light Pole Replacement

The City undertakes a streetlight condition assessment on a bi-annual basis which provides an overall condition grade of streetlight poles.  Furthermore, the condition assessment identifies deficiencies and establishes priorities for pole replacements.

Several City streetlight poles are aging and cracking, posing a significant potential liability to the City. This capital project targets the replacement of poles that are cracking and/or no longer structurally sound.

For 2023, the following Pole Replacements are proposed:

• Sydney Street from Ninth Street East to Twelfth Street East

As part of the resurfacing and road widening project on Sydney Street from Ninth Street to Twelfth Street, new streetlight poles will be installed. The existing streetlighting poles on this section of Sydney Street are aged and in need of replacement.

The City owns and maintains approximately 1,400 streetlight poles throughout the City.

Municipal Works Yard Redevelopment

The City of Cornwall Municipal Works Yard (located at 1225 Ontario Street) is undergoing a multi-year, multi-phase rehabilitation. The project includes replacing the offices and workshops, storage buildings and constructing new parking areas.

In 2017-2021 the City completed Phase 1 of the project, which included the construction of a new salt storage facility, a new employee parking lot, a utility compound and a noise barrier wall on St Michel Avenue and Lemay Street.

The City has also retained a consultant to design of the second phase of redevelopment, which includes a new administration building and a new garage/multiuse building. The second phase also includes additional buried infrastructure (like storm sewers, watermain, etc.) and the demolition of the existing buildings. The construction of Phase 2 is expected to begin in 2023 and be completed over a three-year period.

Completed Project Milestones:

• 2017: Design of the Site Servicing and Grading Plan and Salt Storage Facility and the completion of a noise impact assessment
• 2018: Design of the Standby Power System and Noise Barrier Wall and the rerouting of utilities.
• 2019: Construction of the staff parking lot, site servicing and standby power system.
• 2020: Construction of the Salt Storage Facility.
• 2021: Construction of the Noise Barrier Wall along the western and northern property lines and the design of the new Administration and Garage/Multiuse Buildings.

Ongoing and Upcoming Project Milestones

• 2022/2023: Rerouting of utilities and the continuation of the design of the Administration and Garage/Multiuse buildings
• 2023/2024: Construction of the mew Administration Building
• 2024/2025: Construction of the Garage/Multiuse Buildings, additional site servicing and grading and the construction of a noise barrier wall along the southern and eastern property lines.
• 2025: Design of the heated and unheated parking storage buildings and the covered, open and excavated material storage buildings.
• 2026: Construction of the heated and unheated parking storage buildings, the covered, open, and excavated material storage building and the design of the Parks and Landscaping Equipment Storage Building.

2027: Construction of the Parks and Landscaping Equipment Storage Building and the completion of the final phase of site servicing and grading.