Province has appetite for road construction

The $773 million set aside in the Ontario budget for Northern Ontario highway improvements is being put to use this summer with a slew of projects.

Tenders are going out to four-lane a 14-kilometre section of Highway 11/17 near Thunder Bay. A call has been issued for the expansion work which is scheduled to begin later this year with completion scheduled for 2013.

Construction has already begun on new twin bridges over the MacKenzie River as part of the same expansion.

Tenders will also be advertised soon for expansion of a five-kilometre piece of the highway between the Current River and Highway 527, including an interchange at Hodder Avenue.

Near Iroquois Falls, the Meadow Creek Bridge on Highway 577 will be replaced from a single-lane bridge to a new two-lane crossing. Nor Eng Construction and Engineering was awarded the $6.6-million contract.

Drainage improvements will also be made to areas leading up to the bridge. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2011.

Near Timmins, a 10-kilometre stretch of Highway 655 will be paved and improved this summer. Aecon Construction was awarded the $4.6-million contract. The project will be finished this fall.

Fowler Construction has picked up a $12-million contract to four-lane a section of Highway 69. The project will complete a 17-kilometre section of the highway from Parry Sound to the intersection with Highway 559. The expansion involves grading, ditching, paving and illumination. This is the final of four contracts for the Highway 69 widening and is scheduled to conclude later this year.