A deal to purchase land to build a roundabout in West Kent has been approved by Chatham-Kent council.
At the June 26 meeting, council gave the go ahead to the legal department to buy two parcels of land for just over $81,000.
According to an engineering report, a portion of 23115 Merlin Rd. will be acquired for $39,360, and $42,336 will be paid for a section of land at 5657 Queen’s Line.
The agreed to price is based on land values of $48,000 an acre.
The report said the municipality has agreed to ensure that access to portions of the properties retained by the owners will remain on Merlin Road, and that Chatham-Kent will be responsible for any damage to the existing tiling system that could be impacted by construction.
The land deals mean that the municipality won’t have to expropriate any lands to build the roundabout, meaning the construction can proceed faster, with each sale closing at the end of August of this year.
A 2018 traffic study deemed the intersection of Merlin Road and Queen’s Line as hazardous, with poor sight lines, with many motorists passing on the right. Safety upgrades were recommended and in March 2022, council approved the project.
Earlier this year, council voted to expropriate property for the build, but with the new deal that’s no longer necessary.
