Frequently Asked Questions
Four-Laning in the Highway 69 Corridor

Will Highway 69 have tolls when it is four-laned?

On April 1, 2004, the Minister of Northern Development and Mines announced in the Legislature that there would be no tolls on Highway 69.

Why has the Ministry of Transportation made the four laning of Highway 69 a priority?

As a gateway to Northern Ontario, as a strategic link in the Trans-Canada Highway System, and as the main local commuter route, use of Highway 69 has grown steadily in recent decades.

Four laning of Highway 69 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 corridor by providing a controlled access, divided roadway.

When was the decision made to four lane Highway 69?

Since The Muskoka Area Study of 1972, the MTO has regarded the four laning of the Port Severn-Parry Sound corridor as a priority for future highway improvements.

Growing volumes on highway 69 immediately south of the City of Greater Sudbury highlighted the need to undertake a route planning study from Estaire northerly. This study selected the preferred route for four-laning in this area, and once it was approved, allowed the Ministry to protect for the route.

The goal of developing and maintaining a transportation network that supports job creation, facilitates tourism, trade, and commerce, and allows people to travel our highways safely has led the MTO to focus on its current program of four laning. Construction northerly from Port Severn has been ongoing since the fall of 1992.

Why has construction been concentrated between Port Severn and Parry Sound?

Priority was given to extending the existing four-lane roadway north of Port Severn to the Parry Sound Area because that was the area of greatest need based on traffic volumes, congestion, and operational problems within the Highway 69 corridor.

For example, the average daily number of vehicles using Highway 69 south of Parry Sound during the summer of 2000 ranged from 12,300 to 18,800. North of Parry Sound, the figure ranged from 7,100 to 14,400 vehicles per day during the same period.

How was the proposed route between Port Severn and Parry Sound determined?

MTO staff, in consultation with the public, determined the 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 1997.

New information came to light concerning the section of four-laning from the City of Greater Sudbury to just south of Highway 537 during the initial engineering design phase that presented an opportunity to improve upon the previously approved route. An amendment was issued to the previous EA approval. This has received EA approval and detail design has commenced in this section.

How was the proposed route between the City of Greater Sudbury and Estaire determined?

MTO staff and their consulting engineers, in consultation with the public, determined the preferred route that would minimize the potential natural, social, economic, or cultural impacts associated with the four-laning of the highway. As with the south end study, the work included an investigation to determine if there would be disruption to archaeological or heritage sites, water bodies, fisheries, or wild life. Noise levels were also examined. The process of route selection followed the requirements of the Environmental Assessment Act and was approved by the Ministry of the Environment in 1999.

New information came to light concerning the section to four-laning from the City of Greater Sudbury to just south of Highway 537 during the engineering phase design that presented an opportunity to improve upon the previously approved route. An amendment was issued to the previous EA approval. This has received EA approval and detail design has commenced in this section.

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 four laning?

To avoid existing concentrations of development along the Highway 69 corridor, a decision was made 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, while increasing safety in built-up areas along the existing roadway.

Decorative municipal identification displays and area profile signs will also help ensure that by-passed communities 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.

How much does four laning cost?

On average, it costs $10 million per km and another  $8-12 million per interchange to four-lane Highway 69. The proposed four-laning of Highway 69 represents a significant investment in northern infrastructure and economic development.

What is the status of four-laning through the Wahta First Nation territory?

This 8 km section will complete the four-laning south of Parry Sound. Tree clearing and utility relocations were completed in the summer of 2004. Heavy construction work started in December 2004 and will take approximately three years to complete. This section is planned for opening in Summer 2008.

A new interchange at Highway 400 and Muskoka Roads 32 and 38 is complete and opened to traffic. This project replaced the at-grade intersection with an interchange.

How many jobs will be created by this project throughout the Wahta Territory?

Approximately 950 direct and indirect jobs will be created as a result of this project.

What is the status of the four-laning of Highway 69 for the 19.2 km south of Sudbury?

Four-laning of Highway 69 for the 19.2 km section between Estaire and Sudbury will be completed in a series of construction contracts.

Construction is underway on the 8.6 km from Highway 537 northerly.  This follows advanced construction during 2004-06, which resulted in a new structure and 600 m of new freeway in the Old Wanup Road area, and a new interchange and 2.6 km of new freeway in the Gladu Road area.  The current construction project to complete this stretch of Highway 69 four-laning was awarded in May 2006.

Construction of the Estaire Bypass and from Estaire northerly to Highway 537 is also now underway.  An additional contract to open this 10.6 km stretch will follow completion of these two sections.

How many jobs will be created by the four-laning of the 19.2 km south of Sudbury?

The three ongoing construction projects south of Sudbury (Estaire Bypass, Estaire to Highway 537 and Highway 537 northerly) are estimated to create 3,560 direct and indirect jobs.

What is the status of the four-laning of Highway 69 from Parry Sound north to Estaire (19.2km South of Sudbury)?

Four-laning of Highway 69 for the 17 km section between Parry Sound and Highway 559 north of Nobel will be completed in a series of construction contracts.

Construction is underway on two separate contracts for the first 12 km northerly from Parry Sound through Nobel. The first contract for 7 km, including two interchanges between Parry Sound and Nobel, was awarded in May 2005. The second contract, for an additional 5 km to bypass Nobel including one interchange, was awarded in October 2006. Engineering and property acquisition is complete for the third contract to complete 5 km north of Nobel including a new interchange at Highway 559.

The 115 km section from Nobel to Estaire was divided into three sections for the purposes of route planning and environmental assessments. Route Planing is complete for two of the three sections and for most of the third section.  Detail design and property acquisition is underway for 88 km in this section and route planning is still underway for the remaining 27 km from Harris Lake Road to Highway 522.