A positive project update for Erskine Street, as the road is now completely repaired and repaved.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and Ward 5 Councillor Ed Sleiman provided an update on the road reconstruction along Erskine Street on Monday morning.
Dilkens says fixing and maintaining Windsor's roads is a 'no brainer,' as they remain vital components for the continued growth of our city.
"As new residents make Windsor their home, and with the completion of many exciting infrastructure projects, we'll need to continue providing safe roads for commuting to and from work. I applaud Councillor Sleiman for his leadership on this project and all the support he provides residents of Ward 5."
Photo taken by AM800's Rob Hindi
Work to the west side of Erskine was done in the summer of 2021, and earlier this month the final removal and replacement of the asphalt pavement on the east side was completed.
Sleiman says this is an important project to have completed for him, based on the number of complaints he's received from residents.
"We kept on telling them when we get the money we will do it. Nowadays you really have to be persistent, you have to be what some people call stubborn, but we kept on pushing for it. Because it's really needed, and I put in almost $84,000 from my ward funds just to be able to do this thing," he stated.
He says issues with the street prior to the work being completed went well beyond what was normal in terms of complaints.
"I think for the amount of complaints that I have been getting here, it's a lot more than the usual number of complaints," Sleiman continued. "It was almost like daily I have meetings with people, face to face, online, and I come and talk to them on the phone. It was more than the average complaints."
Sleiman says spending ward funds on infrastructure is usually unheard of, but given the amount of people reaching out about issues with the street made all the difference.
"But I said listen, we want to make the road driveable, we want to make it safe for everyone. And that's exactly what we did, and I couldn't do it alone, I thank Mayor Dilkens who was behind me as well. It's needed, it's not like something optional, it really had to be done."
A release from the City of Windsor says to date, from a capital and operating budget that consistently outputs large amounts of infrastructure improvements, approximately 48 lane-kilometres of roadway have been improved in 2022, which is basically the equivalent of paving from Windsor to Leamington.
The total cost of the project was $50,000 from the city's coffers, plus the $84,000 from Sleiman's ward funds.
Erskine Street is a small but densely populated area of the city, home to multiple multi-residential buildings, making it a high-traffic area for residents and visitors.
Officials say with the completion of the roadwork and the removal of potholes and cracks, residents can now enjoy a smooth safe commute through the area.