Municipal governments continue to struggle with the infrastructure burden placed on them. We all can see this when we travel on area roads. In SDG Counties, there is a large road network which supports not only local residents and businesses, but provides through passage for some. Large amounts of this road network were inherited through provincial downloading in 1998 when much of Ontario’s two-lane highway network was hived off to municipalities to maintain. Twenty-six years later, we can clearly see the effects of that downloading and that different municipalities have succeeded or failed in that task.
Highway 31, between Morrisburg and downtown Ottawa, was split to form County Road 31 in SDG and Regional Road 31 in Ottawa. The Counties has a good road network. Counties councillors and administration often laud the quality and good condition of the county road network. Those officials clearly do not travel on County Road 1 south of South Mountain but generally SDG has good roads. Ottawa does not. A drive on 31 north of the county line will treat your vehicle to a jolting ride on a road riddled with potholes, cracks, and shoulder fall-offs.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe has been very public recently about the budget woes of the capital city. There is little-to-no money to fix anything in the Ottawa budget unless they raise taxes significantly, or get a hand out from the upper levels of government for transit issues. Still, the likelihood of any major repairs to its portion of County Road/Regional Road 31 is unlikely. The road however continues to see more traffic as a major in-fill commuter route which is why the province should take back 31.
From the south end of Ottawa, major suburban expansion has grown Ottawa south along 31. What was pasture in Findlay Creek 15 years ago is now a large scale development. According to Statistics Canada, that neighbourhood has a population of 14,000 people in nearly 4,400 homes, and is growing. In comparison, North Dundas has 11,304 people in 4,540 homes; and South Dundas has 11,000 people in 4,800 homes. Developments south towards Vernon will add traffic. North Dundas and South Dundas are adding to it too. North Dundas has housing developments in Hallville and Winchester that are marketing to Ottawa residents looking for more space and less expensive homes. South Dundas is joining in that effort with new developments in Iroquois and Morrisburg. With the rising price of housing and lack of availability in many areas, commuting 45-75 minutes to work one way is a viable option. But the road cannot take that much traffic.
The provincial government should work with Ottawa and SDG Counties to resume ownership of this vital connecting road so that the proper investments can be made to improve driveablity and safety. Premier Doug Ford already agreed to take over the 174 in Ottawa’s east end: it should do the same for 31 to the south.
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