G2G tunnel construction, road closure slated for spring, to clear by July 1

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Construction of a new tunnel to further connect the Goderich-to-Guelph Rail Trail (G2G) just west of Blyth will take place over the course of 26 days across May and June, avoiding the busy summer months and the harvest-rich fall.

 

At a Tuesday night meeting hosted by Huron County, which was attended by far fewer people than the first meeting, held just a few weeks earlier, Director of Public Works Imran Khalid said the county had signed a contract with Lavis Contracting to close Blyth Road west of the village for a period of 26 days. Furthermore, he said the road would be open again by July 1.

 

Khalid said that Lavis would begin erecting signs for the project next week and begin shortly thereafter, keeping in mind the contracted end date of July 1.

 

This had been the preferred option for both the county and the representatives of the trail. However, in the original proposal, Lavis had indicated that it planned on doing the work in the fall.

 

In late April, Huron County awarded the contract for the project to Lavis at a cost of just under $415,000.

 

The county-approved detour for vehicular and large truck traffic begins in Auburn and runs south on Base Line, east on Londesborough Road and north on London Road to get to Blyth. However, there are several other non-county roads and dirt roads that could be utilized by locals that are much closer to the village. Khalid also noted that Cemetery Line would remain open throughout construction.

 

Furthermore, a representative of the trail said that the intent is to find a detour for the trail so it can remain open throughout construction, but that nothing had yet been finalized.

 

There were few questions, though those in attendance commended the county for taking on the project in such expedient fashion. Khalid said that projects like these are nice to do for public works departments and he wished they were able to take more of them on.