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City targetting funding for 'biggest road project ever'

Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley Plans for the Maley Drive Extension are ready to be submitted for federal and provincial funding.

Posted by Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley


Plans for the Maley Drive Extension are ready to be submitted for federal and provincial funding. The project will cost $115 million by the time it is completed in 2014, according to Greg Clausen, Greater Sudbury general manager of infrastructure services.

"The Maley Drive Extension is the single biggest road project ever undertaken in the city," said Clausen Wednesday morning.

The city is seeking funding from the Building Canada Plan of the federal government. This is a longer-term infrastructure program than the two-year infrastructure economic stimulus funding program recently announced by the federal government. Last week, Greater Sudbury submitted five roads projects under the economic stimulus program. The Building Canada Plan is for much larger construction projects. It requires each individual project to be a minimum of $30 million to be eligible, said Clausen.

According to a letter by Mayor John Rodriguez to George Smitherman, Ontario Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, on March 10, city transportation studies in 1992 and 2005 identified the need for a new east-west link across the north end of the city.

The project includes more than 12 kilometres of upgrades and new construction, including a full interchange at Notre Dame Avenue and a number of flyover crossings. Intersections will also be improved at Barrydowne Road, Frood Road, Falconbridge Road and Lansing Avenue. Work could commence in late 2009, if funding is received early enough, noted Clausen. The mayor and several staff met with federal Industry Minister Tony Clement and Smitherman to introduce them to the project.

"I was not at that meeting, but the feedback I am getting is that the project is supported by Minister (Rick) Bartolucci, by (the appropriate) federal and provincial ministers and by their staff," said Clausen.

City staff prepared a report on the project for city council Wednesday in order to get a formal endorsement of the city's financial commitment.

If the project is approved by senior levels of government, the city's one-third share, plus some costs not covered, would be about $41 million. Of that, $35 million would be debt financed. City council has been told by staff that the Maley Drive Extension would reduce traffic congestion on existing roads.


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