The City of Estevan now has a better idea on how much it would cost to solve the biggest complaint of local motorists.
A grade separation study was approved early in 2011 and Mayor Gary St. Onge said the City received the results late last year. He said the cost of an underpass or overpass, which would be located on Souris Avenue, would cost in the $6 million range with an overpass roughly half a million dollars more than the other option.
For as long as there have been vehicles in Estevan, the trains that run through the centre of the city and hold up traffic have frustrated motorists. To get a better idea of how much a grade separation would cost, and also to be ready should any federal or provincial government money happen to come along, council voted to commission a study.
St. Onge said he was surprised by the price as he had expected it to be higher.
"I thought it would be way more than that," he said. "I'm sure it is going to happen one day. Maybe once the federal government comes in with its next infrastructure program, which is supposed to be in two to three years. (Souris Moose Mountain MP) Ed Komarnicki, I'm sure will fight for (money). I think that is the next big thing on his plate, to get some money for that.
"That would be big. I think citizens would be even more thrilled with that than with the trucks going out of town."
St. Onge noted that Souris Avenue is the desirable location since the City owns the land adjacent to the train tracks in that area.
Although he didn't express a preference for either option, the mayor added that along with costing more money, an overpass would take up more land. Because of that, St. Onge said there is a chance a couple of businesses in the area would have to move, while with an underpass they likely would not be impacted.
"(An overpass) would start about Fifth Street and come down on the other side. It would look like the one on the east end."
The Mercury attempted to contact Ed Komarnicki for a comment on this story but he was unavailable.
