Road and Infrastructure Updates: Calcium, Culverts, Paving and Lighting

Nipissing First Nation has several important road and infrastructure projects underway this summer and fall. Here’s a summary of what’s been completed, what’s planned, and how these updates will improve safety and travel for our community.

Calcium Treatment on Gravel Roads

The yearly calcium application (a treatment that helps keep dust down and binds gravel together) has been completed on all our gravel roads that needed it. Some smaller, low-traffic roads still had enough calcium from last year and didn’t need new treatment. The total cost this year was $64,372.50, covering: Ted Commanda Drive, Sweetgrass, Sage, Public Works Yard, Meadowside, Jocko Point Road, Beaucage Park Road, Margaret Drive, Yellek, and Landfill.

Culvert Repairs

  • Duchesnay: Replacement at Goulais Crescent/Couchie Memorial Drive to reduce flooding.
  • Yellek: Replacement on Yellek Trail (500 area) to improve water flow where there was an issue of water back-up on the north side.
  • Garden Village: Culvert repairs at Semo/Ted Commanda (liner install) and Sweetgrass/Cockburn (replacement due to lack of flow).

Paving Projects

  • Duchesnay (Goulais Crescent): Some asphalt patch work along Goulais Crescent. This will be scheduled for mid to late August.
  • Duchesnay (Couchie Memorial Dr.): West end of Couchie Memorial Drive, scheduled for mid to late August.
  • The Yellek-Duchesnay turnoff at the Duchesnay end of Wiigwaas Miikan will be paved from Goulais Crescent to the Rail Crossing.
  • Garden Village: The beginning of Sweetgrass and Cockburn to pave an apron off the intersection. The intersection of Semo and Ted Commanda will be repaved due to deteriorating asphalt and a patch past the Right Path Building. The bigger project for Garden Village will be Juniper Crescent, which will be getting half of the street reconstructed and repaved due to deteriorating asphalt. To improve the base of the road, it will be excavated 1.5 ft to remove subbase material. A geotextile will be added to the road base and all with Granular B Type II (12”) along with Granular A (6”) compacted before the resurfacing.
  • Serenity Lane: Plans are in progress to investigate adding a turning lane for traffic approaching the entrance from the east.
  • All areas: Patchwork paving as required.

Streetlighting

Old streetlights across NFN will be replaced with LED lights for brighter, safer, and more energy-efficient lighting.