The province opened a 14-kilometre expansion of Highway 69 in the French River area this week, where the highway was twinned to help improve traffic flow and safety.
“As we build Ontario, it’s critical that we continue to expand and improve highways across the province,” Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney said in a media release.
“In Northern Ontario, Highway 69 plays a vital role in helping people and goods move more quickly. By expanding the highway, our government is following through on its promise to support the economy and improve road safety.”
Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Greg Rickford credited the twinning as improving safety and traffic flow in the region alongside positive economic impacts.
This 14-kilometre widening is part of a larger project to widen a total of 152 kilometres of the highway from Parry Sound to Sudbury. The final 68-kilometre stretch between French River and Parry Sound is in the engineering and acquisition phase.
“Our government is building Ontario with investments in critical infrastructure that improve our health, safety and quality of life,” Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said in a media release.
“Over the next 10 years, we are spending more than $148 billion on highways and public transit, as well as schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other public infrastructure that families and businesses depend on.”
Sudbury NDP MPP Jamie West has been outspoken in his frustration with what he has seen as the provincial government’s slow action in completing the twinning project, and expressed frustration last month when the final 68 kilometres were not mentioned in their fall economic statement.
