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McGuinty Government Keeps Ontario's Highways And Bridges In Top Form
TORONTO, May 26 /CNW/ -
NEWS
Ontario is investing more than $2 billion this year to expand, repair and
improve highways, roads and bridges across the province. This year's funding
represents a record investment in Ontario's highway infrastructure - 20 per
cent more than last year.
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Key construction projects include:
- Widening the QEW from six to eight lanes from Burloak Drive to
Trafalgar Road in Oakville to add High Occupancy Vehicle lanes
- Repairing the northbound express lanes on Highway 427 from the QEW to
Highway 401 in Toronto
- Widening Highway 401 from four to six lanes from Woodstock to
Cambridge (final phase)
- Repairing the southbound lanes on Highway 400 from Forbes Road to
Highway 11 in Simcoe County
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This investment in Ontario's highways is part of a broader Budget
commitment to modern infrastructure that makes business more productive, helps
move people and goods faster, and contributes to a high quality of life for
all Ontarians. Investing in infrastructure is part of Ontario's five-point
economic plan (http://ontariobudget.ca/english/).
QUOTES
"Our record investments in Ontario's highways, roads and bridges create
thousands of construction jobs that strengthen our economy and keep our roads
safe," said Transportation Minister Jim Bradley
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/about/minister.htm).
"Investing in Ontario's highway infrastructure eases traffic congestion,
so people can get to work, school and play safely and efficiently," said York
Centre MPP Monte Kwinter
(http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/team/biography.asp?MPPID=59).
"It's going to be another busy construction season this year. Record
investments - like this one - improve road safety and keep people and goods
moving," said Rob Bradford, executive director of the Ontario Road Builders'
Association (http://www.orba.org/home.asp?x=1024&y=768).
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QUICK FACTS
- This investment will mean: 107 kilometres of new lanes, 472
kilometres of highway repairs, 80 bridge repairs and 34 new bridges.
- To protect the people hard at work making roads safe for everyone,
Ontario doubled the fine for speeding in a highway construction zone
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/constructionzone.htm)
when workers are present: up to a $500 fine and three demerit points
for not obeying the sign of the traffic control person.
- Since 2003, the McGuinty government has committed $9.3 billion for
highways, roads and bridges and invested $6.2 billion in public
transit.
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LEARN MORE
See where highway work is taking place in the Greater Golden Horseshoe
this summer (http://files.newswire.ca/6/GHHighwayE.pdf).
Get up-to-date road condition information
(http://www.roadinfo.mto.gov.on.ca/) on major highways in the area. You can
also call the ministry's road information line at 416-235-4686, or toll-free
at 1-800-268-4686.
Learn more about the High Occupancy Vehicle Lane Network Plan
(http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/hov.htm). More than 450 kilometres of HOV lanes will
be added to 400-series highways spanning the Greater Golden Horseshoe over the
next 25 years.
Read the Ontario government's five-year investment plan in highway
construction (http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/nhp2007/index.html) for
Southern Ontario.
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ontario.ca/transportation-news
Disponible en français
BACKGROUNDER
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ONTARIO MAKES RECORD INVESTMENT TO IMPROVE HIGHWAYS
Ontario is investing more than $2 billion in 2008 to keep Ontario's
highways, roads and bridges safe and reliable.
Highlights from the 2008 construction plan include:
Widening:
- Highway 10 from two to four lanes from Caledon Village to Highway 9
(final phase) to improve safety and traffic flow
- Highway 401 from four to six lanes from Sydenham Road to Montreal
Street (phase 2 of 4) in Kingston to ease congestion
- Highway 401 from four to six lanes from Windsor to Tilbury (final
phase, Border Infrastructure Fund project) to improve road safety and
traffic flow
Extending:
- Highway 410 from Bovaird Drive to Highway 10 in Brampton to ease
congestion
- Highway 404 from Green Lane to Ravenshoe Road and advance
construction of the Mount Albert Road overpass in York Region to
improve traffic flow
Repairing:
- Highway 401 eastbound collector lanes from Leslie Street to Avenue
Road in Toronto, including bridge work, road reconstruction and noise
barriers to improve road conditions and safety
- Highway 409 from Highway 401 to Highway 427 in Toronto, including
bridge work, road reconstruction, median barrier and lighting to
improve road conditions and safety
- Highway 6 from Arthur to Mount Forest, including road reconstruction,
bridge work and new passing lanes to improve road conditions and
safety
- Highway 17 between Pembroke and Renfrew in the County of Renfrew,
including resurfacing and the bridge to improve road conditions and
safety
Construction schedule reduces impacts on drivers:
- Much of the construction work in high volume urban areas is done at
night and during off-peak hours to minimize delays and frustration
for drivers
- The ministry coordinates with municipalities so that major local and
provincial projects do not cause a bottleneck
- Major projects are planned in stages, ensuring some lanes remain open
and drivers can still get to their destinations in a timely manner
- Lanes on major highways are kept open during peak periods and lane
closures are avoided during busy traffic times on summer weekends
- The ministry provides advance notice of many lane closures through
roadside signage and by advising the traffic-reporting media.
- For up-to-date road condition information on major highways in the
area, visit www.roadinfo.mto.gov.on.ca or call the ministry's road
information line at (416) 235-4686, or toll-free at 1-800-268-4686.
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Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, ontario.ca/transportation-news
416-327-1158 Disponible en français
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For further information: Nicole Lippa-Gasparro, Minister's Office, (416) 327-1815; Bob Nichols, Communications Branch, (416) 327-1158
Other news releases disseminated by this ministry
