Hundreds of people recently took the opportunity to share how the poor condition of County Road 49 impacts them.
“Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. This feedback will help strengthen our request for funding from the federal government so that the rehabilitation of this road can move ahead as soon as possible,” Mayor Steve Ferguson says.
The short survey asked respondents to indicate the ways that County Road 49 affects them. Of the 347 respondents, impact to their vehicle was the top choice (309) followed by commute to appointments (200) and commute to work (83). Thirty-six respondents said the road impacts their business. Just 10 respondents said they were not impacted by the road condition.
Many respondents also shared more details about the impact through the open-ended survey question. People described damage to their vehicles, the lengths they go to avoid County Road 49, their safety concerns, and the reputational damage to the municipality. Some examples include:
- “I will NOT drive it unless there is literally no other choice given how hard it is on vehicles with potholes and debris, never mind how much more dangerous it has become in winter due to the same issues.”
- “Ottawa resident who frequently vacations in the area with my travel trailer towed behind my SUV. Shockingly unsafe road for tourists towing RVs.”
- “The highway is in such poor shape; it is beyond embarrassing.”
The survey results and the anonymized comments will be shared with the federal government as Mayor Ferguson continues to lobby for support.
Approximately half of the $52.3 million rehabilitation project remains unfunded. Earlier this year, the Province of Ontario allocated nearly $20 million from the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Fund to support the rehabilitation of County Road 49. County Council approved $7.8 million in the 2024 municipal budget for the project.
Municipal and provincial funding is supporting work on the urban portion of County Road 49 in Picton, also known as phase 3 reconstruction of Picton Main Street. That work from Spencer Street to 100 metres north of Folkard Lane is currently underway and will continue through 2026.
The municipality is asking the federal government to step up and provide funding to make the project a reality. While in Ottawa for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference in August, Mayor Ferguson and Interim CAO Adam Goheen met with staff from Transport Canada and Chris Malette, Member of Parliament for the Bay of Quinte, to discuss the rehabilitation of County Road 49. The Mayor has also shared letters of support for the project from community members, organizations, and businesses.
Opened in 1966, County Road 49 spans 18.4 kilometres, of which 17.3 kilometres is concrete pavement. The road connects Picton, the municipality’s largest settlement area, with the Bay of Quinte Skyway Bridge, one of the largest entry-points into the municipality from Highway 401. The Province of Ontario downloaded the roadway to the County in 1998. County Road 49 has reached the end of its natural lifespan. It consistently ranks as one of the worst roads in Ontario by CAA.
Visit the Have Your Say page to learn more.