‘BAY & BEYOND’ WILL RE-ROUTE HWY. 169 TRAFFIC ONTO JAMES STREET WHILE CLOSING BAY STREET THIS YEAR AND NEXT IN GRAVENHURST
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
GRAVENHURST — There’s good and bad news for residents and drivers here.
James Street is soon going to get some paving; but it’s also going to have more traffic as Bay Street and beyond is going to be closed most of this summer and fall from Muldrew Lake Road heading east uptown.
That means cars, trucks — and transports — will be detouring the centre core of the downtown before heading south through the fast food gulch.
It also means huge headaches — and potential losses — for businesses at the Muskoka Wharf that rely on summer tourism to make most of their money.
‘Bay & Beyond’ is a District of Muskoka and Town of Gravenhurst initiative primarily to replace water, sewer and storm water pipes.
Last night at the second public meeting at the Marriot Hotel the district’s Mark Misko fielded more than a dozen questions about access to properties, convenience, and safety along James Street — specifically a rocky corner and pedestrian road crossing at the high school. And at the intersections of John Street along with a right-hand turn at Muskoka Road 18.
The tendered $10 million project in 2024 and 2025 begins in June with two stages — each with two phases.
Trisan Construction (Schomberg) and Greer Galloway (Peterborough) have been awarded the contract. Trisan owner Angelo Santorelli was among more than 100 at the meeting.
- Stage 1 (800 metres) this summer will run east from the Muldrew Lake Road intersection to the top of the hill at Bay and Greavette streets. (Phase 1 of it would be 530 metres to the Lions Pavilion; and phase 2 is 230 metres more past Cherokee Lane and Burnett streets.
- Stage 2 turns right at the corner and includes Bay Street up to Muskoka Road. A detour would see traffic diverted up Brown Street. It will add bike lanes. Its first phase is 320 metres next spring/summer; the second phase of 300 metres in the summer/fall.
- Stage 3, which is yet to be tendered for 2026 would cross the main street and go down Brock Street to Bethune Drive.
The entire 1.42 km stretch is a district road — Hwy./Muskoka Road 169.
Gravenhurst’s share is above ground as they improve surface infrastructure including a new sidewalk along the road at the Wharf and some improvements up Bay Street.
Long overlooked Street lighting between Cherokee Lane and Greavette Street is also being improved. But the road itself won’t be widened.
Construction will be shut down for next winter.
Misko said more traffic study is being conducted to ensure a smooth flow along James Street, which the town had planned to improve before Bay & Beyond came along. That project has been deferred.
Many of the concerns express Wednesday night centred on Muskoka Wharf and businesses like the Muskoka Steamships and Boston Pizza; and other smaller one in the large parking lot near the Marriot on Steamship Bay Road. That road entrance by the Greavette and Ditchburn condos will see traffic re-routed through only able to enter at the west end, as the Muldrew Lake Road intersection is the first to close as construction begins.
And while the popular Farmers Market is moving to Gull Lake Rotary Park Wednesdays, the equally popular kids’ splash pad will remain open with families able to access it via two small parking lots off James Street next to the ball field. One parking lot is also being enlarged.
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