Notice of Project: Seventh Avenue and Belmont Road – Intersection Improvements and Signalization
Dear Property Owner / Resident,
Elgin County is pleased to inform you that the improvements to Seventh Avenue and Belmont Road intersection have been approved by Elgin County Council and design work will be commencing shortly. Elgin County has retained Optimum Traffic Services to undertake detailed design, and the project is expected to begin Summer 2026 as part of the 2026 Capital Budget.
Project Details
Location: Seventh Avenue and Belmont Road (CR 74) ~100m in three directions
Schedule:
October 2025 – March 2026: Engineering Design
May 2026 – September 2026: Construction
Anticipated Completion: September 2026 to coincide with the opening of the Belmont Public School
Project Scope
As part of the Belmont Public School project, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) undertook a Traffic Impact Study (TIS) to study how students would travel to and from the school – both by vehicle and on foot. The TIS determined that several upgrades were needed to properly support the new school including:
- A pedestrian crossing (PXO) at Belmont Road and Seventh Avenue and;
- The addition of a dedicated left-hand turn lane on Seventh Avenue for northbound traffic
Staff from Elgin County and the Municipality of Central Elgin have reviewed the traffic impact study and found that under future conditions, traffic will approach unacceptable wait times, and a protected movement was warranted. The County has therefore asked the consultant to design the following recommendations:
- Remove parking bays in the immediate vicinity of the intersection where parking is already not allowed and narrow the roadway
- Add a westbound turning lane on Belmont Road to Seventh Avenue
- Add a northbound turning lane on Seventh Avenue to Belmont Road as recommended by the TIS
- Add an Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliant pedestrian crossing (PXO) on the south side of the intersection to match up with existing sidewalk on the south side of Seventh Avenue
- Add a fully signalized intersection complete with signage
Belmont Road is therefore being narrowed from 4 lanes (2 parking, 2 through lanes) to 3 lanes (1 left hand turn lane, 2 through lanes). The narrowing of the roadway will accomplish several goals:
- Open up space for pole bases and new electrical infrastructure not currently available due to overhead hydro conflicts
- Shorten crossing distance across Belmont Road for pedestrians
- Provide passive traffic calming by constricting the roadway width while maintaining the width required for agricultural and heavy vehicles
- Remove ability to park in a previously defined no parking zone Work will also include:
- Curb restorations to narrow Belmont Road and facilitate school bus turning movements
- Localized stormwater management updates in the form of new catchbasins
- Localized sidewalk replacement to facilitate the new crosswalk
Property Impacts
During the design phase, property impacts will be minimal. Residents may notice surveyors on site and may be hand digging to look for property bars to define private property and the County right-of-way. Underground utility locates will be completed, and you might see spray paint or flags marking where underground utilities are located. Should further utility checks be needed, the County may employ a hydrovac truck to confirm depth and location of critical utilities. Homeowners affected will be notified prior to any hydrovac work in proximity to their property.
If you have any existing property concerns you would like to team to investigate as part of this project, please reach out to the project contact at the end of this letter.
Contact Information
The Project Team is committed to keeping you informed during the project. Please reach out with questions or concerns at any time.
County Project Manager County of Elgin
Andrew Parker
(519) 631-1460 ext. 117
aparker@elgin.ca
General Inquiries
County of Elgin Engineering Services
(519) 613-1460
Engineering@elgin.ca
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. We look forward to completing these important infrastructure upgrades in your area as we work towards building a safer and more sustainable community for all Elgin County residents.