Staff Reporter
To improve road safety and keep people and goods moving in southwestern Ontario, the Ontario government has awarded a contract to design, build and finance the widening of Highway 3 between Essex and Leamington.
GIP Paving Inc. has been awarded the contract to widen Highway 3 from two to four lanes. As many as 17,300 vehicles travel this stretch of highway per day.
The highway expansion project is a priority for the province, along with plans to help the City of Windsor build a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway.
The Highway 3 expansion project includes:
- Widening Highway 3 from two to four lanes for 15.6 kilometres between Essex and Leamington;
- Widening five existing intersections and adding traffic signals to three intersections that currently operate without signals;
- Permanently closing four side road intersections to improve road safety along the corridor; and
- Resurfacing existing lanes.
The government is also supporting the City of Windsor by initiating a procurement for an Environmental Assessment and design of a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway. The interchange will support increased opportunities for trade and better access to the Windsor-Detroit border.
“Our government is making it safer and easier to travel in southwestern Ontario,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “By advancing critical transportation projects, like the widening of Highway 3, and supporting plans to connect Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway in Windsor, we’re also supporting economic development and increasing trade opportunities across Ontario’s borders.”
Widening Highway 3 to four lanes from Essex to Leamington is one of 40 projects identified in the government’s Connecting the Southwest: A Draft Transportation Plan for Southwestern Ontario, to better connect communities and create a safe and reliable transportation network.
“Highway 3 is a critical artery that connects Essex to communities across Ontario, as well as economic and trade opportunities at the Windsor-Detroit border, said Anthony Leardi, MPP for Essex. “As the population of southwestern Ontario continues to grow rapidly, widening Highway 3 will ensure that the region’s infrastructure can keep up with this growth, while keeping people and goods moving efficiently along the corridor.”
Early project work and detail design is currently underway with construction expected to begin in 2024.
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