Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1964-10-15, Page 84F,.4:PRQN EXPOSITOR, $E.Agonm ONT., OVT. 15, 1964 JAMES- W. BRITNELL, Hu- ron County Engineer, who supervised construction of the Seaforth-Brussels develop- ment road .project and of the. new Grieve's Bridge, north of Seaforth. THE NEW 136 -foot bridge over •the Maitland River is, seen in the upper picture. Built in -1960, it was opened to traffic in the summer of 1962. The bridge was built by the Huron Highways Department staff at an estimated cost of $80,000.00. In the lower picture, the bridge erected in 1926 is' sho»•n. Designed by the then Huron county engineer, T. Roy Patterscrn, the bridge cost $6,173.24. It continues to carry east -west traffic over the river. (Expositor photos by Phillips). $80,000 Bridge Spans Maitland Construction of a new bridge to carry traffic over the Mait- land River, north of Seaforth, was a feature of the redevelop- ment of County Road 12 be- tween Seaforth and Highway 86. The new reinforced concrete bridge, built in 1960 and open- ed to traffic in 1961, is the fourth bridge at the site. Earl- ier bridges, located on an east - west axis, necessitated sharp turns in the road; the new bridge—generally north-south— eliminates the turns. In 1884 when Reeve A. L. Gibson, of Wroxeter, was War- den, a steel bridge was erected at a cost of $5,848.00, and re - 'f; erves Seaforth to Brussels A continuous program" of highway improvement in Huron County was highlighted by the official opening of the recon- structed County Road No. 12 on Friday, at a ceremony held in Brussels. Started in 1960, with the con- struction of the Maitland River bridge, north of Seaforth, by the cohnty, the projects known as Development Roads No. 669 and No. 670 were completed at a total cost to the Depart- ment of more than $1 million, including subsidies ',for related work. While some land purchases by the county were necessary, these were subsidized to the extent of 50 per cent by the Department, and the actual road work carried out . as Develop- ment Road projects was paid for on a 100 -cents -on -the -dollar basis by the Department. Contributions to all Develop- ment Road projects are made ~by the Department on this basis. The aim of the additional aid extended under the Depelop- ment Road program is to im- prove county and township roads which, because of mod- ern traffic requirements,- call for a higher standard of con- struction than the municipali- ties concerned could reasonab- ly be expected to assume on their own, assisted by normal rates of road- subsidiesfor con- struction. Other major' highway im- provements have been complet- ed in the surrounding area with, ih the past two years at a to- tal estimated cost of $800,000. Huron County Road No. 16 from Brussels •,to Highway No. 4 was reconstructed by county forces in 1964. Total cost was placed an earlier wooden struc- ture. This, in turn, was replaced in 1927 with the reinforced con- crete bridge, which still stands and carries east -west traffic over the, Maitland. The 1927, bridge was design- ed by the then Huron engineer, T. Roy Patterson, and construc- tion was carried out by day la- bor, under construction ,fore- man P. M. Finnigan, at a cost of $6,173.24. approximately $200,000 with D.H.O. share being 50 per cent The Seaforth connecting link on Highway No. 8 was recon- structed and paved in 1963-4 at a total cost of approximately $193,000, fully 100' per cent of the cost being borne by the Department. Also on the King's Highway, Highway No. 4, from Clinton W Blyth, was paved in 1963 at a total cost of $117,000. Iin the Hamlet of Londes- borough and the Village of Blyth, street widening, storm sewers and curb construction, as well as paving, were com- pleted in 1963 at a total cost of approximately $287,000, fully paid for by the Department from King's Highway funds. Returning to the $1 million - plus Development Road . im- provement to County Road No. 12 between Seaforth and High- way 86, a distance of some 21 miles, the most noticeable fea- tures are the better grading and wider pavement. The pave- ment is 22 feet wide, the shoul- ders 10 feet, except in the Town of Seaforth where the pave- ment is 30 feet wide between curbs. Easier Maintenance - Maintenance, particularly win- ter maintenance, will be much easier and less costly to the County Road system as a re- sult of the completion of the Development Road project. Spe- cial advantages' will also accrue to •local industry and in fact, the entire, community, because of improved transport of farm and industrial products and the resultant, reduction in transpor- tation costs. There is a special benefit to the Village of Brussels in the completion of the project. Now, with the substantial improve- ment -of Cdunty Road No. 12 on which it is situated, Brussels is served by an all-weather road, on which full load 'lim- its limits can be permitted all year 'round. Over-riding the -tangible bene- fits which will be enjoyed by" Huron County as a whole in the improvement of County Road No. 12, is that when a Development Road is completed in one section of the county, HON. CHARLES S. Marr NAUGHTON, M,P.P. for. Hur- on and Ontario Minister of Highways, who officiated at ceremonies in Brussels on Friday to mark the official opening of the development road from Seaforth to. No. 86 Highway. The • project became pos- sible through the co-opera- tion of the Department of Highways, who by its sub-' sidizatjion program, contribut- ed almost the entire cost of the work, amounting to more than $1,000,000.00. there is a double-barrelled bene- fit in that not only does it aid the entire municipality but, by virtue of the fact that the De- partment is contributing 100 per cent of the cost, additional funds are set free for work In other sections 'of the county. Bridge Built in 1960 Chronological progress on De- velopment Roads No. 669 and 670 is as follows: • The Maitland River bridge, north of Seaforth, was built by the county in 1960 at a total cost of $80,000, of which D.H.O. contributed $64,000. - From •Walton to Brussels, the grading was done by the coun- ty in 1961 at a total cot -of $120,000, towards which the De- partment paid half. Walton to Brussels was paved in 1962 under a Development Road agreement at a total cost of $43,000, Between Seaforth and Wal- ton grading was completed in 1963 at a total cost of $295,000. The county 'road in Seaforth from Highway 8 to the north limits had grade construction done in 1963 at a total cost of $85,000. The work was done by County forces. Construction of the base course from Brussels to High- way No. 86 was completed in 1964 at a total cost of $340,000. the contractor being George Radford Construction Limited. Paving from Highway 8 to Walton and Brussels to High- way No. 86 was also completed this year at a total cost of $155,000. Certain of the grade construc- tion involved was carried out by the county -organization, while other was by Radford Construc- tion Ltd., of Blyth. Paving was completed by Lavis Contracting. of Clinton and McHaffie-Birge Construction Co. Ltd., of Downs view. Consulting engineers on the grading and base paving from Seaforth to Walton, and from Brussels to Highway No. 86 were McCormick & Rankin, of Port Credit. Consultant on the Maitland River bridge was R. M. Dawson, P.Eng., Stratford. The supervision of county forc- es was headed by County En- gineer James W. Britnell. Mother, Daughter Married on Same Day. Mr. and Mrs. Foster Bennett celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary, and herparents, Mr. and Mrs. George Eaton,' their 58th wedding anniversary on Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Benhett were surprised on Saturday evening when relatives gathered at the home of their -son and daugh- ter -in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bennett, to mark the events. Progressive euchre was play- ed during the evening. - Mrs. ,Bennett's sister, Mrs. Peter McCowan, read an ad- dress, and her brother, Ken Eaton, presented • the couple with an electric fry pan. Mr. and Mrs. • Bennett replied in their 'usual efficient manner. A bounteous lunch was serv- ed by the ladies, and a social hour was spent. Mrs. Bennett's parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Eaton, cele- brated their 58th wedding an- niversary the same day. Mr. Eaton resides with his daugh- ter, Mrs. Bennett,' and also at- tended the. gathering. Mrs. Eaton has been in Scott Mem- orial Hospital for some time. An obstinate man does not hold opinions, .they hold ,.him. IMPROVED ROADS PACE HURON COUNTY'S PROGRESS The reconstruction .of Huron County Road No. 12' 'between • Seaforth and Highway 86, at a cost to the Govern- ment -of Ontario of more than $1,100,000, again demonstrates the concern of the De- partment of Highways for road requirements of all kinds throughout the Province and its increas- ing endeavours to meet these needs: In line with the Department's "total roads con- cept," the Highways Department -- through its Development Road program -- extends. direct aid on a 100 per cent basis to town- ships and counties for the reconstruction of sections of road where such aid is warranted. The municipalities them- selves are asked only to .provide additional land for right-of-way Hon. Chas. S. MaciNaughion Minister of Highways and fencing, where required. This 21 -mile road improvement will mean much to Brussels, Walton, Seaforth and the surround- ing district, whose economic progress depend to so large a degree on an up-to-date network of arterial roads and highways. The safer and wider new highway should persuade more people to explore . this part of Huron County to an even greater degree. Thus, Huron -- which attracts a growing number of vacationers and visitors each year may look forward to still further development of its tourist industry. ONTARIO PROMO! OP OPPORTUNITY Hon. John Rob arts prime Minister - Mr. and Mrs. Eaton were also presented with gifts from the family. - REEVE CAL ' KRAUTER, of., Brussels, where ceremonies in connection with the -open- ing of the reconstructed Hur- on Road No. 12 were held. Friday, Reeve Krauter ex- tended greetings on behalf of the village. Hon. Jaynes Auld Minister of Tourism and industry 4 • •