Letter: Chamber supports the Maley Dr. extension

There has been opposition by a vocal minority to the Maley Drive Extension and some misinformation circulating about what the extension will or will not mean to the city.

The chamber has long advocated for the project and we would like to reiterate our support. Our members consistently tell us roads infrastructure and traffic congestion are top priorities.

As a city that is on the verge of a new long-term economic plan, we need to think about what will further position us as the regional hub of the North. What will create employment and improve our roads? What will draw more investment and business from outside the city?

The Maley Drive Extension will contribute to all these and is projected to have a significant return on investment. In Phase One alone, the extension is projected to create 780 construction jobs and contribute $88.8 million to the Gross Domestic Product.

We believe that the east-west corridors are a real bottleneck in this city. Truck traffic is a large contributor to congestion on these routes, as is auto traffic. There is significant commercial activity around Lasalle Blvd and the Kingsway.

These routes are often under construction and repair, impacting nearby businesses as well as resident travellers. With a completed extension, traffic will flow more efficiently.

The extension is predicted to attract 1,000 to 1,500 heavy trucks and transports away from arterial routes like Lasalle Boulevard, the Kingsway and Radar Road daily. A third east-west arterial road will reduce business disruptions, better accommodate emergency vehicles and potential accidents, and will provide alternate access to places like the Greater Sudbury Airport.

Further, the extension will improve access to core business and retail areas in the city, ease the transport of goods and services, and support our local mining industry through enhanced connectivity.

We should not consider road projects like the Maley Drive Extension as an either-or, mutually exclusive project. A completed extension does not mean other road work and investments cannot take place.

On the contrary, the extension can help make projects like the Barry Downe Extension more feasible and position the city for further growth.

There are many factors working in favour of the extension and we are closer than ever to having shovels in the ground. The province has $26.7 million allocated for the first phase.

The federal government has also indicated support to fund the extension through the New Building Canada Plan.

The municipal government has set aside $2.4 million a year to advancing the extension and has allocated $10.5 million in the city’s account for the project. It is also our understanding that the engineering and design plans for the project are largely complete.

We need to look at how to best prepare our city for meeting current and future transport and business needs. As Greater Sudbury becomes more prosperous, we need to think about how we can accommodate the types of business and investment we want to come our way. Having this extension is a proactive step in the right direction.

David Boyce
Chair, Maley Drive Taskforce
Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce