The federal government has announced $169.2 million in funding to continue the four-laning of Highway 69.
On May 21, Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré and Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre announced the money would fund about 30 kilometres of roadway.
The first project the money will fund involves twinning and realigning an 11-kilometre stretch of road from Highway 559 north to Shebeshekong Road, or just south of it. That work means building a new interchange at Woods Road and building new service roads to improve access for local drivers.
As part of efforts to minimize death and injury to wildlife, that work also includes the installation of 14 culverts and 22 kilometres of fencing to keep animals from wandering onto the road to be struck down by speeding traffic.
The second project the $169 million will support will four-lane and divide a 19.3-kilometre section of the highway, including new twin bridges over Still River, Key River and Straight Lake. The project work also includes building new interchanges at Bekanon Road and at Highway 522.
Once the work is completed there will remain around 40 kilometres of road to four-lane.
