You can expect to see a lot of road construction across the City of Windsor over the next few years.
As a result of ongoing projects like the NextStar electric vehicle battery plant, the new regional acute-care hospital, and the Gordie Howe International Bridge, the City has proposed a triple-digit sum in the 2024 budget for four main projects over the next ten years.
WindsorNewsToday.ca examined the budgeted ten-year figures for work at Banwell Road and the E.C. Row Expressway, the Provincial-Division corridor, Howard Avenue from South Cameron to the Herb Gray Parkway, and Lauzon Parkway to County Road 42. The total amount budgeted through 2032 is $114,021,683.
City Engineer Mark Winterton said he understands the short-term headaches these projects will bring, but each has been carefully planned to meet the expected increase in road use.
"All of these things are going to have an impact on our traffic in the City of Windsor," said Winterton. "So, moving forward with these in a thought-out process is very important. There will always be a little bit of pain when we're doing construction, but it is necessary."
The project having the most immediate impact will be at Banwell and the E.C. Row, the closest major intersection to the NextStar plant, as it is due to open sometime next year. Winterton said a new overpass is a must for the intersection, but in the meantime, $5.2-million is set aside for stopgap work.
"With the 4,000 jobs, and the plus-or-minus 8,000 new trips a day going into that intersection, we absolutely have to do something," said Winterton. "That's why we're moving forward with some interim improvements."
The separate Lauzon-and-42 project will affect traffic flow to the NextStar plant as well as the new hospital. Winterton said the plan is to realign Lauzon Parkway to a new location, leaving the new intersection slightly west of the current one.
The project on Howard Avenue, running between Devonshire Mall and the Herb Gray Parkway, will mainly involve new storm sewers and underground infrastructure.
For 2024, $56.1-million has been budgeted for road and alley improvements across Windsor.
-with files from Adelle Loiselle