Angus motorists, business owners grapple with frustration amid Highway 90 road work

Motorists in Angus are dealing with the frustrating inconvenience that comes with spring and summer road construction as crews work on a major project along Highway 90.

The County is spending $1.1 million on the project, which includes repaving the road, curb and basin repairs and removing the railway crossing south of Pine River Road.

"What the County has done is they have been fiscally responsible, so they are doing a pave and shave, and what that means is they take the top two inches of the pavement, they grind it, and they put it back and resurface," said Essa Township Mayor Sandie MacDonald.

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The delays are proving painful for businesses that depend on walk-up traffic throughout the day.

Costa Riska owns and operates Greekery Bakeshop and said the biggest issue is the dust. "It's the first thing, and secondly is the entrances getting in."

Riska said nearly half his business is based on walk-up traffic and easy accessibility.

"We depend on every single customer that comes in, so every dollar does matter," he added.

Down the road, it's more of the same CW Coops.

"It's something that's absolutely needed and necessary for the main street in Angus, however during the day times in particular, it's been a little difficult for people, and not wanting to travel through the traffic to get into the parking lot and rush hour which is usually one of our busier times of the day," said owner Jennifer Foster.

The County said it's trying to alleviate the traffic issues by keeping one lane in each direction open while the construction is ongoing and completing the paving work during the overnight hours.

The County anticipates the road work to be finished by the end of the month.