MANITOULIN—Ontario is investing $11.1 million in Northern highway infrastructure funding on Highway 540 on Manitoulin Island to make travel easier and safer.
Work will begin this spring to resurface 16 kilometres of Highway 540 west of Kagawong, replace culverts at Bond Creek, Burnt Creek, Wittys Creek and Ice Lake, rehabilitate the Kagawong Creek culvert, and replace the Kagawong Creek Tributary bridge. Portable traffic signals will regulate temporary lane closures on structures during construction.
In 2015-2016 Ontario is investing $560 million on highway infrastructure projects across the North through the Northern Highways Program. Pioneer Construction Inc. has been awarded the $11.1 million contract locally, with completion expected in 2017.
The work project does not, however, include paved shoulders. “We regret that has not yet been included,” said Maja Mielonen, chair of Manitoulin Island Cycling Advocates, speaking of the paved shoulders, the issue on which her group has lobbied hard and with much success. Ms. Mielonen noted that she has the full support of all the Island municipalities, as well as Aundeck Omni Kaning, with hopefully more First Nations to come, she said.
News that this portion of highway does not include paved shoulders will likely solicit a call to Algoma-Manitoulin MPP Michael Mantha’s office, she said, as he had rallied for this cause on many different occasions before.
However, Ms. Mielonen has not written the project off as a lost cause, noting that the paved shoulders along Highway 6 in the Bruce Peninsula came on an order from the premier herself.
“Our government’s investment in the Northern Highways Program ensures that vital transportation links in Northern Ontario are expanded and improved,” said Michael Gravelle, minister of Northern Development and Mines. “This project will improve traffic flow and safety between Little Current and Gore Bay for the residents and thousands of visitors from all over the world who are drawn to Manitoulin Island each year.”
“Our government is investing in the critical infrastructure that families and businesses in Northern Ontario rely on daily,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. “Expanding and improving our Northern highway network is necessary for helping our economy grow and creating jobs in the North, and is proof that Premier Kathleen Wynne and our government are focused on building Ontario up.”
“We knew the MTO was going to fix the highway between Gore Bay and Little Current within the next two years,” said Billings Mayor Austin Hunt. “But not the bridge here, up at Kagawong River.”
Gordan Rennie, of the MTO, told the Recorder in an email, “the existing (Kagawong Creek Tributary) bridge has 3.5 metre lanes and 1.5 metre shoulders with steel beam guide rail. The new bridge will have 3.5 metre lanes with a 1.2 metre shoulder on the east side and a 0.5 metre shoulder as well as a 1.8 metre sidewalk on the west side. The new bridge will also have concrete barrier walls.”
