Bird's eye view of Highway 69 shows extensive construction

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An aerial view of one of the many construction projects on Highway 69. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.

An aerial view of one of the many construction projects on Highway 69. Photo by Marg Seregelyi.

Oct 02, 2009- 2:57 PM

By: Sudbury Northern Life Staff

Local media were provided a bird's eye view of the expansion of Highway 69 south today, Oct. 2, by Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci.

The expansion of the highway began in 2005 and is expected to complete in 2017, and will provide the northern community with a safer, more modern highway.

The Highway 69 action plan is on track to complete in 2017, and has awarded 11 major contracts, two which were funded through the federal-provincial sponsorship project known as the Strategic Infrastructure Partnership Program.

Completed projects include:

  • four-laning a 26km stretch between MacTier and Highway 141
  • construction of two truck inspection stations near Seguin
  • 51km of paved shoulders in various locations of Highway 69
  • five new changeable message signs
  • passing lanes north of Highways 526 and 522
  • construction of an interchange at Muskoka road 32/38
  • four-laning a 8km stretch to complete four-laning from Parry Sound to Barrie
  • construction of the Silver Sands Road and Baxter Township Transfer Site Road to eliminate direct highway access

"I am happy to say we are nearing the completion of 20 kilometres of new four-lane highway near Sudbury," said Bartolucci in a press release. "The sheer magnitude and impact of this project is astounding."

Since 2005, over $1.3 billion has been invested into repairing, maintaining and upgrading northern roads through the Northern Highways Program.

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16 Comments

  • cabbiemon 10/17/2009 10:17:35 PM - Report Abuse

    Anybody but me notice every time they 4 lane a highway to improve it that they route it deliberately away from existing routes causing a lot of small communities to slowly wither and die? And what about restaurants along the way ever wonder what ever happened to all the really good small operations that sold other things than you find @ McDonald's & Wendy's why are these two chains the only places to eat along the way? If you want good food on the way now you have to get off the highway and go into the towns along the way.

  • Man About Town_513 10/9/2009 12:06:12 PM - Report Abuse

    That's what they did with most of Highway #11, Oscar.
    Why did the government approve of totally redesigning the highway? At some points its set to be 2-5 kms away from the original 69South. And why the huge median between where you don't even see the other lanes?
    Something smells here. Manufacturing 2 totally new roadbeds instead of improving one and twining it would have been far more efficient.
    Some companies, I suspect corporate contract friends, are going to make out quite well from this multi-million, multi-year project.

  • Outskirts Oscar 10/9/2009 12:45:56 AM - Report Abuse

    Why couldn't they just keep it two lane but only make it one way: southbound! Given that really people are just going down south for jobs especially the youth... all they need to do is flip the signs and make 69 just a southbound one-direction only highway! (jk)

  • MAXIMVS-corruptioncentral 10/8/2009 1:31:43 AM - Report Abuse

    Great...if the price of fuel continues to rise...we'll all be driving fuel effiecient cars built for 60km/hr on highways designed for 120km/hr. McGuinty announced this highway would be done in a decade...with special interest groups,road contractors and unions supporting him, he managed to get reelected., Nobody said he was stupid.

  • Man About Town_513 10/5/2009 5:59:06 PM - Report Abuse

    You got that right muff.
    We had our chance with the NDP in power in the early 90's. 3 seats in power with 2 of them in cabinet.
    They chased Sunthetic away. Didn't turn one shovel of dirt on 69South. Created 2 doctor scandals that chased 2 very important specialists from our city.
    Harris did what any politician is supposed to do. REPRESENT his constituents.
    11 South will be completely 4 laned before 69 (Eventually re-branded 400 South)has it's first auto drive on it.
    2017 is not carved in rock.

  • muff_1 10/5/2009 11:22:25 AM - Report Abuse

    "The Harris PC's rightfully looked after their best interests and had massive 4 lane work done on Hwy.#11"

    Don`t suppose that Mike Harris having ties to North Bay had something to do with it do ya?

    Maybe if Dalton lived in Sudbury it would be further along.

  • skndstry 10/5/2009 10:56:54 AM - Report Abuse

    Don't even bother Janet. MAT is just blowing hot air about another thing he knows nothing about. Whether it is hospial construction or HWY 69 construction, he'll have you believe he is an engineering whiz and a construction expert all rolled into one. Leave it to him and everything in the world will be just perfect.

  • Man About Town_513 10/5/2009 9:41:58 AM - Report Abuse

    The point, clearly lost on you Janet, is that this thing should have been completed by now.
    And that every few months we get a useless press briefing to pacify us. Bottom line is that they haven't been putting 100% effort into the project since day #1.

    Wait and see how the 2017 date gets pushed back.

  • Hector_2 10/5/2009 9:07:20 AM - Report Abuse

    I'm surprised at some of the comments stating that the highway was fine the way it was. I've seen horse trails better than HWY 69. It was an emabarrasment and a disaster. The safety and economic pluses to this city will be extremely positive. Just like the Bell Ampitheatre....some people want to keep Sudbury in the dark ages.

  • Janet Rodriguez 10/4/2009 7:27:53 PM - Report Abuse

    What's your point MAT?

    They should stop the project now because it cannot be done logistically in 10 years?

  • Man About Town_513 10/4/2009 2:27:33 PM - Report Abuse

    I remember when McGuinty announced this highway would be done in a decade. And that was in his FIRST term.
    We see that the opening date is 2017.????

    The completion keeps creeping further along and the media announcements happen quarterly.
    "Look how much we've done...."
    It's shameful that this entire project should have been started under the NDP in the early 1990's. Yet our NDP (Martel, Laughren, and Murdock) didn't raise a finger. The Harris PC's rightfully looked after their best interests and had massive 4 lane work done on Hwy.#11.

    Instead of us gushing over how thankful we are that shovels are slowly turning, we should be angry this project isn't on an expedited schedule.

  • muff_1 10/3/2009 10:15:03 PM - Report Abuse

    If people would take there right foot out of the oil pan there wouldn`t near as many wrecks as there have been in the past. More OPP presence would help cure the problem.

  • whiteswan69_1 10/3/2009 3:49:09 PM - Report Abuse

    It is going to be a better and safer highway.I'm very happy that we are going to get a new four lane highway near Sudbury.

  • hiding_behind_a_screen_name 10/3/2009 3:38:28 PM - Report Abuse

    luckily your opinions don't matter. There was nothing fine about the road.
    When a vital link to the rest of the world can be shut down due to an accident and halt the flow of commerce and people to and from toronto, that is not fine.

    I have driven that road in all conditions, all times of the year. Too many people have been killed along the road for any reasonable person to call it fine.

  • News Junkie 10/2/2009 9:24:43 PM - Report Abuse

    The highway WAS fine, in my opinion. I'm glad they are doing the construction anyway though, because many of the drivers on it are NOT fine drivers...too impatient, foolishly passing and tailgating. It kills people. Sad but true...we can't change the people so we pretty much have to change the highway.

  • Notorious 10/2/2009 6:15:17 PM - Report Abuse

    i thought the highway was fine, i guess this will make it a lil less exciting. cool
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