HALDIMAND—Mayor Shelley Ann Bentley, CAO Cathy Case, and Caledonia Councillor Dan Lawrence are expressing some guarded optimism following a lengthy virtual meeting with senior Ministry of Transportation (MTO) staffers about three high profile projects in Haldimand County.
The meeting took place on October 18, 2024. The items discussed were the Argyle Street Bridge, traffic lights at the intersection of Hwy. 6 and Haldibrook Rd., and a desired bypass around Hagersville.
County spokesperson Kyra Hayes shared a brief overview on the three topics:
Haldibrook Rd. and Hwy. 6 intersection: an environmental assessment and design work is underway with construction scheduled for 2028.
Argyle Street Bridge: both Bentley and Lawrence expressed concerns regarding the lack of progress on the bridge. The MTO indicated that they are continuing work on the project, including preparing the tender package for construction, as well as ongoing monitoring of the existing bridge, which remains at an 8-tonne load limit.
Hagersville bypass: MTO will continue to monitor traffic volumes in the county, but at this time they have no plans for a Hagersville bypass.
“I felt the MTO staff listened to our concerns. They extended the meeting well beyond the time allotted so we could have a fulsome discussion on all three hot topics,” said Bentley.
She said that Haldimand’s representatives advocated for safety, acknowledging that the process for both the bridge and the traffic light installation are time consuming and complicated, but seeking assurances that the MTO would implement interim safety measures to help in the meantime.
Councillor Lawrence echoed, “It was a good meeting. No politicians from the provincial end…. In my opinion it was probably better because it was senior MTO staff, people who are working on the projects, specifically the Argyle one.”
On Haldibrook/Hwy. 6, Case shared that assessment and design work should be finished by August 2025, with installation work including widened turning lanes beginning in 2028, but “perhaps even earlier.”
Bentley added, “We urged the MTO staff to consider interim safety measures to prevent any further fatalities at this busy intersection.”
On the Argyle bridge, Bentley said the County requested better communication to notify them when maintenance-based closures are scheduled, and also for better monitoring of trucks that violate the bridge’s weight limit.
“We spent quite a bit of time advocating for construction to begin as soon as possible. I feel that we need to keep pressing the issue and making sure the province does not lose sight about how important this project is to our county and the safety of our residents,” said Bentley.
Lawrence shared his thoughts on the discussion, sharing some fresh optimism following years of frustration over the stalled project: “We put that new conduit across the river last summer; it’s in the Nairn St. pumping station. We made it big enough to engulf many services that can be put through that conduit. They were extremely appreciative of that. It’s actually going to speed the process up. It helps with the underground infrastructure immensely.”
He added, “You don’t want to put misguided optimism out there, but after hearing the meeting and what they had to say, and then hearing from our staff with regards to the staff they’ve brought into this project, it is a good reason to be optimistic. I know there are naysayers out there, and part of me is as well, I’ll believe it when I see it, but I have to believe it’s going to move forward sooner rather than later, finally.”
Case said that Haldimand is doing everything it can to advocate for progress on the bridge and “emphasize the criticality of current circumstances; however, since the bridge is under MTO jurisdiction, we are limited to an advocacy role.”
On the bridge’s level of stability, Case noted, “MTO staff indicated that static load testing is completed every five years and the most recent testing was completed in July 2024. They confirmed that this recent testing indicated that the 8-tonne weight limit remains appropriate and that there has not been any major deterioration since 2019. Additionally, routine annual inspections are completed, with the most recent one being finalized this month.”
Haldimand Norfolk MPP Bobbi Ann Brady continues to advocate for these projects as well, bringing up both during the first question period at Queen’s Park following summer break.
Bentley committed to continue trying to get MTO Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria to visit Caledonia and inspect the bridge for himself.
On the Hagersville bypass, Bentley said she felt disappointed that MTO was basing their decisions on the most recent study, completed in 2010: “I also advocated for a new study to be completed and encouraged them to look at our future growth numbers for this area.”
While Lawrence acknowledged “It’s not really on their radar at this point,” he argued it should be. “Hagersville is exponentially more difficult than Caledonia during the rush hours. It comes straight through. As we’ve said to them, you’ve got a built-in corridor there with the hydro corridor,” he said.
Case added, “Staff and members of Council all emphasized the traffic volumes, expected growth, and truck traffic being experienced in Hagersville. They did not respond to a question on what the threshold would need to be to spur a bypass into action…. A lot has changed since 2010.”
Bentley concluded, “Overall, I thought the meeting was productive and our issues were heard, we will keep asking to get this work completed for the residents of Haldimand County.”
Case added, “I think the MTO staff present already understood the urgency of the Haldibrook/Hwy 6 intersection and the Caledonia bridge projects. But I do think that they now understand even better the importance and the level of concern held by Council and staff. Of course, definitive dates that are imminent would be the perfect outcome. But at least these issues are high on their radar now and we will continue to urge further, more timely progress.”