As part of the Ontario government’s work to widen Highway 69 from two to four lanes, the province is investing in the relocation of a Canadian National Railway Company (CN) rail line within the Township of Mowat and the Municipality of Killarney. The remaining 68 kilometres of work to widen Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury will be split into six sections, four of which will be under heavy construction by the end of next year. This work will improve northern road safety and traffic flow and keep workers on the job for years to come while supporting the province’s important mining and tourism sectors.
“Widening Highway 69 is a priority project for our government and we intend to use every tool at our disposal to accelerate this critical work,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The relocation of the CN rail line will facilitate construction of a new interchange at Highway 522, marking another step forward to widen the highway, enhancing road safety on this critical corridor that supports economic development and the province’s world-class mining sector.”
The relocation of the CN Rail line, which is the first step in accelerating this project, will include grading, laying new track, installing signals and re-connecting the new track to the rest of the rail line. Once this work is complete, construction can begin on a new interchange at Highway 522 that will be part of the expanded Highway 69.
“Highway 69 is a critical transportation corridor within Ontario’s highway network, supporting supply chains, economic development and access to employment, services and markets by connecting northern and southern Ontario,” said George Pirie, Minister of Northern Economic Development and Growth. “This investment in the widening of Highway 69 between Parry Sound and Sudbury will help enhance safety, improve the efficient movement of people and goods and build stronger, more resilient communities across northern Ontario.”
To date, Ontario has completed widening 84 kilometres of the 152-kilometre corridor, running from 17 kilometres north of Parry Sound to 67 kilometres south of Sudbury. This work has made travel along Highway 69 safer and helped people and goods get where they need to go while supporting good-paying jobs for construction workers.
