Construction on Highway 69 is going as planned, according to Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci.
The four-laning of the highway between Sudbury and Parry Sound is set to be finished by 2017.
Recently, members of local media were flown over some of the highway construction in a helicopter, which was paid for by Bartolucci’s riding association.
“This was a very important report back to the community, as we approach the unveiling of one of the major sections, the first section in Sudbury,” he said.
The highway expansion is an “incredible economic opportunity (and an) incredible enhancement of safety.”
A total of $541 million has been spent so far, Bartolucci said.
The MPP said he was disappointed in those who slowed the start-up of the project.
Among those, were previous provincial governments that “wouldn’t listen to the thousands and thousands of people who signed petitions, who put bumper stickers on their cars.”
Others “did nothing but fight us, as people died on that highway.”
Some who opposed the highway said “it wasn’t worth the investment (to four-lane) Highway 69 if it was based on safety only,” according to Bartolucci.
In the end, Sudbury rallied to have the highway four-laned, according to the MPP.
“It was a community effort... My community came together and advocated,” he said.
“I will continue, proudly, to keep my community and all of northeastern Ontario, I hope, (informed) of how much progress is being made by a government that understands the importance of Highway 69.”
According to the Ministry of Transportation website, the project will improve travel times and reduce the likelihood and duration of road closures due to collision clean-up and accident investigations.
Most importantly, according to the MTO, the project improves the safety of the Highway 69 route by reducing congestion and making passing easier, providing controlled access to the roadway, and separating northbound and southbound traffic with a median.
Four Laning Facts, provided by the MTO
- Distance of four-laning project: 152 km
- Project features include: 20 interchanges, 103 bridges, 14 river crossings, 50 stream crossings
- In total, an estimated 37 million cubic metres of materials will be moved
- 30 metre median will separate north and south bound lanes
- Route will be a combination of: two new lanes to twin the existing highway and four new lanes on new alignment
Daily volume averages between Sudbury and Parry Sound, according to MTO
- Average daily traffic volume ranges from 5,300 to 11,500
- Summer daily average volume ranges from 7,750 to 15,500
- Average daily truck volume ranges from 860 to 2,820
