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3 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M ay 16,2019 theifp.ca Got a regional road construction ques- tion or complaint? There's an ambassador for that. Halton is in the process of adding two construction ambassadors to its staff who will liaise with the public and address local residents' concerns about major regional projects. The new positions are among several im- provements the municipality is rolling out through its Building a Better Halton pro- gram, the region's infrastructure delivery approach for road, water and sewer projects. With almost $4 billion in infrastructure projects planned in the next decade, and questions about construction projects flood- ing the 311 call centre, Halton public works commissioner Jim Harnum stressed the im- portance of enhancing the program. "Council really relies on us to get that message (about construction projects) out to their constituents, and enhancements to this program will help us do that," he told regional councillors at their recent meeting. According to Harnum, the ambassadors will liaise with the public and project team on issues related to construction, report back on construction impacts, address iden- tified issues with appropriate staff and serve as an ombudsperson of sorts for local resi- dents. "This is an extremely important initia- tive for Building a Better Halton," he said. "It's going to improve the public engagement and improve customer service during con- struction of major projects." Other changes include enhancements to the region's website, including an interac- tive map where residents can find the most up-to-date information on construction pro- jects, an email subscription service that will send notifications about specific projects, and the establishment of an engineering management office. Out in the community, residents may no- tice refreshed road signs about Halton con- struction projects that explain what's going on in clear language and icons. The region also intends to use signs that thank residents for their patience during the challenging aspects of construction upon project completion. "Many of these projects area very disrup- tive, especially when we're in local neigh- bourhoods replacing water and sewer," not- ed Harnum. Councillors went on to suggest several ways the website could be further tweaked and lauded the planned improvements for the Building a Better Halton program. "I think this is going to be a revolution for construction management in the region," said Oakville Coun. Jeff Knoll. The two construction ambassador posi- tions were approved in the 2019 Halton bud- get at a cost of $217,000, which will be funded by capital budget dollars. For more information on Halton con- struction projects, visit www.halton.ca, click on 'For Residents,' then 'Roads and Construction,' followed by 'Construction Projects.' NEWS HALTON HIRING AMBASSADORS FOR MAJOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@metroland.com Halton's new construction ambassadors will address local residents' concerns about major projects. Torstar file photo