The Ontario government has awarded a contract to start construction on another stretch of the ongoing Highway 69 four-laning project between Sudbury and Parry Sound.
A $173.4-million contract has been awarded to J & P Leveque Bros Haulage of Bancroft to start work this winter on a 14-kilometre length of new highway in the area of French River and Henvey Inlet First Nation from a point just north of Highway 607 to just north of Highway 522.
Work includes building two new interchanges and 10 new bridges, including four major structures over the Pickerel and French Rivers.
This new section of highway will join the 11 kilometres of four-laning currently under construction between Highways 64 and 607 that is scheduled to open later this year.
Last year, nine kilometres of new highway opened to traffic between the Murdock River and Highway 64.
Since 2003, the province said it has spent more than $770 million to four-lane 59 kilometres of Highway 69.
In northwestern Ontario, the province awarded a $2.1-million contract to L H North and L H Crane & Rigging of Murillo to fix the Ozone Creek crossing on Highway 17 east of Nipigon. Work begins this spring and should wrap up in the fall.
