Fairbank Lake Road reconstruction underway

Site preparation is underway for the reconstruction of Fairbank Lake Road (Municipal Road 4) from Highway 17 to C. Johnson Road.

Teranorth Construction and Engineering Ltd. has been awarded the contract for the project, which will strengthen the road base, improve drainage, provide paved shoulders, straighten sharp curves and finish with a new asphalt surface.

Access through the nine-kilometre construction site will be maintained at all times with minor delays at work sites and during blasting activities. By the end of the 2012 construction season, the road will be partially paved with intermittent gravel sections.

Asphalt surfacing is anticipated to be complete by 2015.

Reconstruction of Fairbank Lake Road will improve access to residential, seasonal and industrial properties, as well as Fairbank Provincial Park.

Fairbank Lake Road improvements have been made possible under a cost-sharing partnership between the City of Greater Sudbury and Vale Canada Ltd.

Vale's Totten Mine is located off Municipal Road 4 about nine kilometres from Highway 17 West.

Vale hopes to begin production at Totten Mine sometime this year, and is projecting about 800,000 tonnes of ore per year to be hauled from the mine site to the processing facility in Copper Cliff. The mine has an expected life span of at least 20 years.

The total estimated cost of the road improvements is $20-22 million. The city agreed in January to a deal that would have Vale foot 75 per cent of the bill, while the city will be responsible for 25 per cent of the total cost, at about $4.5 million.

The cost sharing is based upon actual costs, and percentages by each party are paid as invoices are paid.

Vale will cover 100 per cent of the cost for intersection improvements at Municipal Road 4 and Highway 17.

Posted by Arron Pickard