No. H0100/06
For release September 5, 2006

CANADA AND ONTARIO ANNOUNCE
FUNDING TO WIDEN MANNING ROAD

WINDSOR — The governments of Canada and Ontario, in partnership with the County of Essex, today announced funding for the widening of Manning Road (Essex County Road 19) from north of County Road 22 to the VIA Rail line. This investment complements the environmental assessment and preliminary engineering design that are being initiated by the federal and provincial governments to identify improvements to Manning Road from Highway 401 to County Road 22.

The widening of Manning Road from two lanes to five lanes will provide improved traffic operations and better highway access to the border for local industry and for both commercial and commuter traffic in Essex County. This project is one of several projects announced under the Let’s Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy. Funding for this strategy comes from the Canada-Ontario Border Infrastructure Fund, a joint commitment by the federal and provincial governments to invest $300 million on the Windsor Gateway.

“The New Government of Canada is committed to a safe, secure and efficient border,” said the Honourable Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “This project demonstrates our priority of investing in transportation infrastructure to support transborder trade and the economy of the local community.”

“Investing in our highways is critical to Ontario’s prosperity,” said Ontario Minister of Transportation, the Honourable Donna Cansfield. “Improving the flow of traffic in the Windsor-Detroit Gateway is one of the Ontario government’s priorities and so far we have invested nearly $20 million to do just that.”

“Improvements to Manning Road will provide better highway access, benefiting industrial, commercial and commuter traffic in Essex County,” said County of Essex Warden, Mike Raymond.

“I am pleased that the federal and provincial governments are providing the infrastructure investment that will facilitate the flow of traffic and support economic development in our community,” said Mayor of Tecumseh, Gary McNamara.

The Mayor of Lakeshore, Bob Croft added, “We look forward to the enhanced traffic operations this funding will provide, expediting the movement of people and goods in our region.”

The process to select a consultant for the Manning Road widening from Highway 401 to County Road 22 is nearly complete and the environmental assessment study will be underway shortly.

In addition to the Manning Road environmental assessment, construction is continuing on the advance utility relocation for the road-rail grade separation on Walker Road at Grand Marais Road in Windsor.

Recently completed projects announced as part of the Let’s Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy include:

• A pedestrian overpass on Huron Church Road at Assumption High School;
• Intersection improvements on Highway 3 and Huron Church Road;
• The implementation of Intelligent Transportation Systems such as traffic cameras to improve traffic management, video monitoring, and driver information; and
• Advance work at Grand Marais and Walker Road to facilitate traffic staging during the upcoming Walker Road construction.

Several more projects will complete the environmental assessment/engineering phases in 2007:

• Highway 401 widening from east of Highway 3 to west of Manning Road;
• Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Plaza Master Plan improvements; and
• Environmental assessment of a road-rail grade separation on Howard Avenue at the CPR tracks.

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