Northeastern Ontario cities to spend millions on road upgrades this summer

Drivers in northeastern Ontario can expect more delays along some of the region's busiest roads as construction season gets underway.

In Sudbury work continues on the Paris Street Bridge and the Kingsway, between Barry Downe and Falconbridge roads. New for the 2024 construction season will be work on Municipal Road 15 and Dominion Drive.

David Shelsted, the city's director of engineering services, said city council approved $244 million to be budgeted on road upgrades and maintenance, and another $191 million for water and wastewater over the next four years.

Shelsted said construction crews completed underground pipe work along the Kingsway over the last two years. This year they will work on paving the surface and installing a sidewalk at the south side.

"What you're going to see this year is basically more money being spent than last year," Shelsted said. 

"This year though we're not on as many arterial and collectors as we have been in the past."

Because the city is working on fewer main roads, Shelsted said traffic disruptions should not be as bad as last year.

In addition to the ongoing projects, Shelsted said the city plans to start work soon on expanding sewer and water service at the east end of Lasalle Boulevard, where there's a heavier concentration of industrial properties.

That project is budgeted to cost $20 million, he said.

In Timmins, the city continues to work on Algonquin Boulevard, one of the city's main roads.

Scott Tam, the city's director of growth and infrastructure, said they've been working on Algonquin Boulevard in multiple stages, over several years.

This year upgrades will be focused on the downtown core.

"So this segment itself is just over $10 million," Tam said.

While the roadwork is a "major disruption" for drivers who use Algonquin Boulevard every day, Tam said the upgrades were also long overdue.