City council has approved spending up to $35,000 towards a study that will investigate the feasibility of an overpass across the railway line near Theatre Rd.
Emergency access to the northwest area of the city while trains are running on the tracks has been a long-standing concern given that the railway line cuts through the municipality alongside Highway 3.
The city’s study would determine the potential footprint of an overpass structure, including identifying sufficient property in the industrial lands that would be needed for the project.
In addition, staff report there is development and subdivision interest from the owners of the former Tembec industrial lands that were recently purchased by Peak Properties Inc.
While there are five at-grade rail crossings within the city, Theatre Rd. was identified as the only suitable location for an overpass in a report commissioned by CP Rail eight years ago. That study concluded that an overpass would cost approximately $10 million.