NorthernLife.ca going live from Maley Dr. news conference

NorthernLife.ca will be going live from Tom Davies Square this afternoon when Mayor Brian Bigger and Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré hold a news conference to talk about their support of the Maley Drive extension.

Representatives from Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault will also be there.

The $80.1 million roads project has become a lightning rod for criticism for some in the city, with some insisting it's too expensive and unnecessary.

The project has been the city's top infrastructure priority for decades. City planners say it will take 1,500 vehicles a day off Lasalle Boulevard and The Kingsway, as well as routing heavy ore trucks away from those roads and the heart of the city.

Maley is also expected to extend the life of both roads, saving the city $8 million-$10 million in maintenance costs.

After years of trying – and failing – to get the province and federal government to provide their one-third share of the costs, the province agreed to fund Maley in 2014, and the federal government is expected to follow suit should council confirm its support for Maley.

Bigger has introduced a motion for the March 22 council meeting in which he's asking councillors to commit to the project.