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of 120 bridges and large culverts. All 120 are
inspected every two years and anything that’s
identified as in need of repair, or in need of
eventual replacement, is put on a list that’s
updated every two years.
A “fairly-detailed” 10-year plan exists for
road and bridge renewal, Shepherd said,
and one particular area of the county near
Kemptville – which is home to four elemen-
tary schools, two high schools, three parks
and two hotels – is the source of much of the
long-term growth the county anticipates.
A stretch of road in that area is being
looked at for possible expansion to four lanes,
and officials closely monitor traffic growth
and generate detailed estimates on road con-
ditions and required upgrades whenever a
significant residential or commercial devel-
opment is initiated.
“That’s really the only area of the county
that’s pushing us that way,” Shepherd said.
“It’s nice in a sense because we know where
we are and what our needs are, and we’re not
bouncing all over. Still, it’s a bit of a balanc-
ing act. There are 10 regional representatives
and they all need to see some action in their
own neighborhoods, so we get a bit of a bal-
ancing act.”
Aside from the bureaucracy issues, Shep-
herd and his team have another persistent
foe: weather.
The combined county seat of Brockville
receives measurable snowfall in eight of 12
months each year, on average, and the tem-
