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Ontario Advances Plans to Widen Highway 401
Ontario is set to progress with its plans to widen sections of Highway 401, particularly in the eastern regions surrounding Toronto. This announcement comes as part of a broader strategy to manage the rising traffic demands in the area.
On Friday, the Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria revealed that construction will commence on the replacement of the Oshawa Wilson Road overpass in Durham Region, a development aimed at facilitating the expansion of Highway 401.
“As Durham’s population continues to increase, our government is committed to supporting drivers by investing in the essential roads and bridges that will alleviate congestion and reduce commute times,” stated Sarkaria.
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The construction is expected to start before the end of summer. The project will include the installation of new sidewalks, enhanced noise barriers, and taller light poles. Additionally, the plans aim to replace various underpasses in the vicinity along with two key bridges located in Bowmanville and Clarington.
This initiative is part of a larger effort by the Ford government to expand Highway 401, which has been a significant focus during multiple election campaigns that emphasized the importance of highway and subway infrastructure development.
Central to the province’s transportation strategy is the contentious Highway 413 project, among several proposed highway expansions across Ontario. While the government advocates these initiatives as solutions to ongoing traffic issues, critics caution that creating more highways may result in increased driver numbers and, subsequently, more congestion in the long run.
Recently, a significant project to widen an 18-kilometer stretch of Highway 401, located west of Toronto between Milton and Mississauga, was completed successfully.
“This project is a transformative step for our community, facilitating a more efficient and integrated Durham,” remarked Todd McCarthy, Member of Provincial Parliament for Durham.
According to government statistics, approximately 120,000 vehicles traverse the eastern section of Highway 401 each day, underscoring the urgent need for improvements to accommodate growing traffic volumes.
Source
globalnews.ca