Premier and Transportation Minister make two big announcements

By Mark Ribble

Ontario Premier Doug Ford was joined by the Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney as the pair visited Essex County to make two big announcements on Thursday, June 1.

As expected, the ministers were on hand to announce the next phase of the Highway 3 expansion project, which includes widening of Highway 3 from two to four lanes for the final 15.6 kms between Essex and Leamington, the widening of five existing intersections, the permanent closure of four side road intersections and the resurfacing of existing lanes.

The plan calls for closures at Cameron Side Road, Inman Side Road, Marsh Road and Upcott Side Road in Kingsville with signalization at County Road 18, Belle River Road and Arner Townline.

The project has been awarded to GIP Paving Inc, who is currently working on the stretch between the Arner Townline and Maidstone Avenue in Essex.

As many as 17,300 vehicles per day use the stretch of the highway between Leamington and Essex and construction is expected to be underway in 2024.

Leamington Mayor — and Essex County Warden — Hilda MacDonald was on hand for the announcement, alongside Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and local MPPs Trevor Jones, Andrew Dowie and other dignitaries.

Premier Doug Ford, followed by MPP Andrew Dowie, Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney and many local dignitaries, shook hands with workers from GIP Paving Inc., the company that was awarded the contract to finish the widening of Highway 3 between Essex and Leamington.

SUN Photo

The cost of widening this portion of Highway 3 is $138 million and Minister Mulroney remembers visiting the area a few years ago.

“One of my first official acts as Minister of Transportation was to come to Essex County to announce the widening of Highway 3,” she said.

Premier Ford stressed the importance of keeping the infrastructure up to standards as communities continue to grow.

“Our plan is working,” he said. “As our economies and communities grow, infrastructure has to keep up.”

Premier Ford says it’s all about working together.

“Competition is fierce all over the world,” he said. “But we will come out on top by everyone working together.”

Kingsville Mayor Dennis Rogers agreed.

“We represent different tiers of government, but we’re all connected by our desire to make things better for our communities, “he said. “The county is not just small farming communities anymore.”

When Mayor/Warden MacDonald took to the podium, she talked about the plan to keep things moving.

“It’s all about efficiency,” she said. “Getting the trucks to where they need to go. Getting the people and goods to wherever they need to go.”

“Highway 3 is vital to Leamington’s connectivity and economy,” she added. “This will ensure residents remain able to travel to where they need to go, while supporting good local jobs in our community.”

The occasion also gave the ministers an opportunity to announce a new interchange on the 401 which will connect to Lauzon Parkway, opening up those Sandwich South areas to traffic flow, which Dilkens says will be a gamechanger for Windsor, especially with the new battery plant and mega hospital in that area.