Highway 64 near Field is scheduled for a major closure in the next year or two.
The closure is so the Ministry of Transportation can replace a large culvert 3.1 kilometres from Field.
The MTO told West Nipissing council that closing the highway and having motorists detour around the site was the best option.
That’s because the ministry is proposing the roadway be closed for seven straight days so that crews can work continuously on the culvert 24 hours a day.
It believes it can have the work done in five days but is giving itself a two day buffer in the event something unforeseen happens.
The MTO told council the alternative is to keep the highway open, work on the culvert only during the day and flag people stopping traffic when needed.
The MTO says this means the project will last much longer and it also means long wait times for traffic that moves through the area.
The ministry says the work would either be carried out next summer or during the summer of 2020.
It chose the summer because school is out so buses don’t have to take a detour.
The MTO says the closure would not take place when major events are planned and would not coincide with any long weekends.
The ministry has talked to all stakeholders affected by the closure and says there is general support for the temporary closure of Highway 64.
As for emergency vehicles responding to an incident in the affected area, the West Nipissing Police say they can reduce response times to the Field area by ensuring there’s a police vehicle strategically stationed near the area during the time the highway is closed.
Fire access to Field also won’t be impeded and ambulance personnel would depend on fire serves to help them out in case of a call out during the temporary closure.