Frequently Asked Questions
Four-Laning in the Highway 11 Corridor

Why has the Ministry of Transportation made four-laning of Highway 11 between Huntsville and North Bay a priority?

As one of the two major gateways to Northern Ontario, serving commercial traffic, long distance travellers, and local commuters, use of Highway 11 has grown steadily over the past few decades.

Four-laning of Highway 11 to North Bay will provide improved travel times between Northern and Southern Ontario; improve access to serviced areas, allowing for continued growth of northern industry and the tourism and recreational sectors; and most importantly, improve the safety of the Highway 11 corridor by providing a controlled access, divided roadway.

When was the decision made to four-lane Highway 11?

The Huntsville-North Bay corridor was identified as a priority for future improvements as early as 1972, in the MTO's Muskoka-Parry Sound Area Highway Planning Study.

The need to develop and maintain a transportation network that supports job creation, facilitates trade and commerce, and allows people to travel our highways safely has led the MTO to focus on its current program of "closing the gap" between the existing four laned sections at Huntsville and North Bay.

Initial work on four-laning southerly from North Bay began in 1979. More recently, construction has been ongoing since 1994.

How was the proposed route determined?

MTO staff, in consultation with the public, determined a technically preferred route that would minimize any potential natural, social, economic, or cultural impacts associated with highway improvements. This included an investigation along the proposed route to determine whether it would encounter or disrupt archaeological or heritage sites, water bodies, fisheries, or wildlife. Noise levels were also examined. The process of route selection adhered to the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act and was approved by the Ministry of the Environment in 1995.

Since 1988, Ministry of Transportation personnel have hosted 70 public information sessions, between Gravenhurst and Callander, to present planning study updates and receive public feedback. More than 6,000 local residents, property owners, business owners, community groups, and municipal representatives have participated in the consultation process.

What happens to homes located along the proposed route?

Although the proposed route is selected to minimize any impact to local residents, inevitably some properties are required to allow four-laning to proceed. Those directly affected by the proposed roadway are compensated at fair market value for their property.

How do you minimize impacts to local residents during construction?

Local residents are often concerned about the potential increase of noise and dust near the construction site. Contractors hired by the MTO to build the new highway are required to protect affected residents during the construction period. Measures include specification of the daily hours of operation to minimize noise levels and treating gravel roads to prevent excessive dust.

How do you ensure the smooth flow of traffic while the highway is upgraded?

In order to reduce traffic delays through the construction zone, contractors hired by the MTO face restrictions on the number and duration of operations that are likely to cause traffic queues.

How will municipalities along the highway be impacted by the four-laning?

To avoid existing concentrations of development along the Highway 11 corridor, a decision was taken during the planning phase to construct by-passes around several communities. However, interchanges will be located at the entrances of by-passed communities to provide convenient access to the four-lane highway. At the same time, this increases the safety in built-up areas along the existing roadway.

Decorative municipal identification displays and area profile signs will also help ensure that by-passed towns maintain a visible presence on the four-lane highway. Such communities often find that with successful marketing strategies, there is a significant increase in opportunities for economic development associated with the shorter travel times and increased safety of a four-lane highway.

Why has MTO deleted the Ottawa Avenue interchange from the section of four-laning around South River?

Environmental Field Investigation have determined that high quality trout spawning and nursery habitat exist within the limits of the Ottawa Avenue Interchange. This is due to the presence of ground water upwelling.

It was determined during design that construction of the interchange would destroy this irreplaceable habitat. The Ministry is not prepared to do this making it necessary to eliminate the interchange.

How much does four-laning cost?

On average, it costs $105 million per km and another $8-125-10 million per interchange to build a four-lane highway in Northern Ontario. The proposed four-laning of Highway 11 represents a significant investment in northern infrastructure and economic development.