After decades of waiting and years of debate, construction is set to begin on an $80.1-million four-lane perimeter road around the north end of City of Great Sudbury.
A groundbreaking event for the long-awaited municipal infrastructure extension of Maley Drive was held Oct. 12 and attended by a number of local dignitaries including Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré, Sudbury Paul Lefebvre, Ontario Minister of Energy and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault, and Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger.
All gathered to celebrate the start of construction of the first of two phases to create a massive new east-west arterial link in the city that’s been identified in the Great Sudbury’s Official Plan as the municipality’s priority infrastructure development.
Over the span of three years, work will include the construction of a new four-lane road, from Lasalle Boulevard to Barry Downe Road, and two interchanges, the realignment of Notre Dame Avenue, and the rehabilitation of the existing Maley Drive.
Phases One and Two of the Maley Drive Extension are the first steps to a perimeter highway that will extend the road east of its current end at Falconbridge Highway, southeast to connect to Highway 17 East to North Bay and Ottawa and an existing by-pass leading to Highway 69 South to Toronto and Highway 17 West to Sault Ste. Marie.
The city squirrelled away $15.4 million for the first phase of the critical arterial road project that’s been discussed since the 1980s to ensure its shovel-ready status.
As part of a three-way government funding split, the province contributed $26.7 million share in 2014, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last April that Ottawa was matching those dollars.
When Phase One is fully completed in 2019, the extension would divert as many as 10,000 vehicles a day from The Kingsway and Lasalle Boulevard, as well as significantly reduce the wear and tear heavy industrial trucks inflict on local roads.
Besides making upgrades to the existing section of Maley Drive – regarded as one of the worst roads in the city – the first phase will include:
• A new four-lane road will be constructed from Lasalle Boulevard West, near Collège Boréal, to Barry Downe Road.
• Traffic will access the new four-lane road through a new interchange to be constructed north of Lasalle Boulevard on Notre Dame Avenue.
• To accommodate the new interchange, Notre Dame will be widened from four lanes to six lanes, north of where improvements have already been made at the Lasalle-Notre Dame intersection.
• Traffic control at new intersections created by the construction of the four-lane Maley Drive Extension will be achieved with roundabouts at Collège Boréal and Barry Downe Road.
The second phase of the extension, which will further extend Maley to Elm Street West in the city’s west end, is likely decades away.
The contract administrator is Aecom, which includes the design of the project.
Bot Construction Group, the general contractor , is responsible for and oversee the hiring of any subcontractors they may require for the contract.
“The Maley Drive Extension Project is a great example of Ontario's commitment to building critical infrastructure projects across the province,” said Thibeault.
“The extension will not only provide residents with a safer and quicker commute, but it will also create jobs during construction and help develop Sudbury's transportation corridor. As a lifelong resident of Sudbury, I'm thrilled to see this project move forward as a part of the largest infrastructure investment in this government's history”
“I am very humbled by the reality that the Maley Drive extension is coming to fruition. This extension will help ease traffic flow and provide for safer roads for our community while at the same time act as an economic driver for job creation. This is yet another milestone which will showcase our northern landscape as being open for business,” said Serré.
“On behalf of Greater Sudbury City Council, I thank the Federal and Provincial Governments for their support of this integral component of Greater Sudbury's road network. We see a vision of growth for our community and we want to see it flourish and succeed,” said Bigger.
“The Maley Drive Extension Project represents forward thinking and sustainable infrastructure that will build not only to meet current demand for transportation, but future needs, a city for our children and grandchildren.”
An overview of the Maley Drive Extension project, including a profile and construction maps is available at www.greatersudbury.ca/maleydrive.
