County Road 49 Rehabilitation

County Road 49, one of the largest entry-points into Prince Edward County from Highway 401, has reached the end of itCounty Road 49 has reached the end of its natural lifespan due to severe joint and slab failures, cracking, and surface polishing.s natural lifespan. It consistently ranks as one of the worst roads in Ontario by CAA.

Opened in 1966, County Road 49 spans 18.4 kilometres, of which 17.3 kilometres is concrete pavement. The road connects Picton, the municipality’s largest settlement area, with the Bay of Quinte Skyway Bridge. The provincial government downloaded the roadway to the municipality in 1998.

The total cost to rehabilitate County Road 49, including the urban portion of Picton Main Street, is $52.3 million.

• Provincial portion (38.2%):
  — $19,993,424.94 from the Housing-Enabling Core Services Fund
• Municipal portion (14.9%):
  — $7.8 million, which was approved in the 2024 budget, for reconstructing the road surface of the urban portion of County Road 49 (phase 3 Picton Main Street reconstruction)
• Unfunded portion (46.9%):
  — $24.5 million, which the municipality needs to fund through federal government sources and/or private sector partners

Get Involved!

Mayor Ferguson, the County Road 49 Working Group, and staff continue to work diligently to secure funding from the federal government in order to bridge the gap and move the project forward.

We need your help! The municipality is encouraging residents, visitors, and regular users of the road to share how the condition of County Road 49 has impacted them. Fill out the short survey and add your comments below and they will be shared with the federal government officials.