The Town of Hawkesbury is at a critical juncture with a couple of major street intersections.

A lengthy project worth more than $2.7 million to completely reconstruct Cameron Street between Main Street East and Lansdowne Street is nearing completion.  A study on how to control the traffic at Cameron, Amoco, and Alexander Siversky streets has also been completed.

The reconstruction work on Cameron Street itself will be complete by November 29.  However, additional work at the intersection with Main Street will not be completed until spring 2020, but the entire intersection will be paved before the upcoming winter season.

Traffic lights were to be installed at the Main and Cameron “T” intersection this year, but that has been postponed until spring of next year.  The delay is due to the completion of sewer improvements at the intersection.

According to project manager Guillaume Boudrias, there will be a left turn lane on Cameron Street for northbound traffic turning onto Main Street westbound and for westbound Main Street traffic turning onto southbound Cameron Street.  There will also be a dedicated through lane for westbound traffic that is continuing on Main Street past Cameron Street.  Boudrias said the left turn lanes will be controlled by green arrow lights to give drivers proper guidance.

The lane configuration plan for the intersection was developed during August and September.  Boudrias, along with Mayor Paula Assaly and Councillor Robert Lefebvre, met with property owners in the neighbourhood to inform them of plans and get suggestions.  Boudrias said some of the parking on Main Street near the intersection will be eliminated, but there will still be on-street parking in front of local businesses like Ménard’s Butcher Shop.

The intersection of Cameron Street with Amoco and Alexander Siversky streets is a busy one, due to heavy traffic coming and going from the shopping centres along Highway 17, and because Cameron Street is a major route from Highway 17 to downtown Hawkesbury and the Long Sault Bridge.  The new Ontario Provincial Police station is also located at the corner of Cameron and Amoco streets.  Alexander Siversky and Amoco streets do not meet Cameron street at a perfect, four-way intersection.  The town has commissioned a traffic study to determine what improvements should be made to the busy intersection, and if traffic lights or a roundabout should be installed there.

Boudrias said the study and its recommendations for the Cameron/Alexander Siversky/Amoco intersection will be presented to council soon for review before a decision is made about what improvements are the most suitable.

Cameron Street in Hawkesbury, looking south toward Highway 17. Amoco Street is at the left, Alexander Siversky Street is at the right. Photo: James Morgan