Renfrew Completing Major Work to Connecting Link

The Town of Renfrew is in the midst of completing a large-scale roadwork project on a main artery through the community.

In 2022, Renfrew invested more than $330,000 in Canada Community-Building Funding into rehabilitating .66 kilometres of O’Brien Street. This stretch of roadway is part of the MTO connecting link, Highway 60. It also intersects with Froats Road.

This project is part of a multi-year connecting link rehabilitation program that the Town has been undertaking on portions of both Highway 60 and Highway 132 that are with the Town’s limits.

Improvements to O’Brien Street include a full redesign of the roadway to add a bi-directional left turning lane. This is a dedicated left-turn lane in the centre of the road that helps keep traffic flowing and lower the risk of collision. It also improves access to commercial properties. 

Work also includes installation of new storm sewers and minor watermain work. This work upgrades that stretch of the highway road from a rural cross section to an urban cross section, meaning it now has curbs and gutters on both sides. 

Additionally, the connecting link will have new 1.8 metre sidewalks, and a new three-metre-wide asphalt multi-purpose path for pedestrians. The project also accommodates a crossing of the Algonquin recreational trail which is of regional significance.

Finally, Froats Road is getting new LED traffic signals, which will conserve energy, and accommodate a future southbound road connection into lands that have been identified by the municipality for growth.