Deteriorated Wentworth road slated for repairs this summer

Driving through Wentworth will be a little smoother and far less treacherous next year due to a near $500,000 investment in the repair of Glen Road.

As the main link to the nearby towns of Morin-Heights and Saint-Jerome, the main thoroughfare of Wentworth has reached a state of advanced deterioration in recent years, one requiring major repairs to paving and drainage.

Repairs are slated to start in August and will focus on rebuilding seven sections of Glen Road, a total of 1.6 kilometres.

"This road leads to several gravel and sand pits that are accessed by many heavy trucks that regularly pass on this road," said Wentworth Mayor Ed Kasprzyk. "Frequent use by these trucks, in addition to regular traffic, has led to the deterioration of this road. Construction will provide jobs for our region and improve our town."

The specific section of Glen Road that will undergo construction is located between Chemin Shrewsbury and Highway 329. Repairs to Watchorn Bridge will be made in a separate but coordinated project that will allow construction crews better access to the targeted construction zone.

Glen Road will be closed during part of July in order to repair the bridge, but is expected to remain open during the road repair period from August to October.

"The policy for the municipality is to make roads being paved as wide as possible to allow for the use of bicycles and other uses of the road," said Kaspryzyk. "This will allow for more eco-tourism and road safety."

The municipality will pay one-third of the $496,177 project, an amount of $165,393, and will receive a combined financial assistance of $330,784 from the provincial and federal governments under the communities' component of the Building Canada Fund for Quebec. The program is a cost-sharing initiative that helps to fund infrastructures in communities with fewer than 100,000 residents.

"By participating in this project, our government is looking to accelerate the execution of numerous infrastructure projects throughout the province, like this one in Wentworth Township, in an effort to improve Quebecers' well-being, create jobs and promote a high-performance economy," said Argenteuil MNA David Whissell. "In this way, we are leaving the municipality a legacy of quality infrastructure with which to face the challenges of the future."