Engineering consultants have recommended repairing Slabtown's bridge and extending the road to create a new exit onto Grey Road 13 as the best bang for the town's buck, but Slabtown residents don't want a through road in and out of their little hamlet.

Lorraine Sutton would rather the town leave the quaint bridge alone as is, and if that's not possible to replace it with a stronger structure in the same spot.

"A through road is not preferred," said Sutton at the recent public information meeting at Marsh Street Centre on Saturday, January 30. She was there to ask the engineering consultant and town staff some questions about the various options.

The cost to replace the bridge in the existing location is $1.06 million.

Currently, the only way into and out of Slabtown is across a bridge with a nine ton limit posted. That legally prohibits fire trucks, school buses, snowplows and garbage trucks from crossing the bridge.

Residents of the community have worked out solutions for each of these challenges. There are recycling and garbage receptacles at the entrance of the bridge that are collected once a week - a system similar to condo-style garbage pick-up.

A fire truck can cross the bridge empty of water and fill up once it's on the other side. There's a snowplow operator that clears snow in Slabtown with a smaller truck.

The town has hired engineers C.C. Tatham and Associates as consultants on the project. Michael Cullip, engineer in charge of the project, said they weighted their recommendations using several project environment criteria, including physical, natural, social, cultural, construction, heritage and economic. After consultation with town staff, Cullip said that cost had the biggest weight on the scale.

The engineers deemed repairs to the bridge and an extended road the best option of several and will cost $830,000. The engineers considered the costs of leaving the bridge as is, constructing a new bridge in the same location, constructing a bridge in a new location, extending a new road to Grey Road 40 and adding a new road to Grey Road 13.

Cullip said he met with some residents of Slabtown last year, and noted that most of them did not want a through road and bridge access to the community.

Deputy Mayor Duncan McKinlay was also at the Marsh Street Centre for the meeting. He said that council would have to decide on the best option for the community at the price that tax payers can afford.

Reg Russwurm said council will receive reports on the Slabtown bridge options in March, and the public is invited to attend those council meetings and appear as a delegation.

To see the engineer's presentation thus far, visit thebluemountains.ca.