Construction of the Highway 40 CN Rail overpass replacement and Highway 40 and Confederation Line intersection improvements could start by the end of this year.
In an email to Sarnia News Today, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) West Operations Communications Coordinator Aruna Aundhia said construction, subject to funding and approvals, is anticipated as early as the fall of 2022.
"(The project includes) replacement of the existing highway bridge over the CN rail lines with a new single span bridge," Aundhia said. "The new bridge will be located to the west of the existing bridge, on a new highway alignment within the existing Highway 40 right-of-way. The old bridge will be removed."
She also shared plans for the intersection.
"Confederation Line will be widened on the north side from Finch Drive to Highway 40, and a multi-use path will be added between Finch Drive and Upper Canada Drive. The intersection location will be shifted to the west."
The MTO said the majority of the work will be completed with traffic maintained on the existing Highway 40 and Confederation Line.
The ministry previously said the project was expected to take three years to complete.
Comments, questions, or concerns on the detailed design and class environmental assessment (EA) study are being accepted until March 10.
The MTO is also seeking feedback from anyone with local knowledge that may be beneficial to the project.
Three members of the project team are accepting the information:
Rob Kleine, P.Eng. Consultant Project Manager (rob.kleine@wsp.com) Joel Toth, P. Eng. Sr. Project Engineer (joel.toth@ontario.ca) Lina ElSetouhy, RPP, MCIP, ENV SP Consultant Environmental Planner (Lina.Elstouchy@wsp.com)
Meanwhile, funding for the widening of the highway from two lanes to four, between Indian Road and just north of Wellington Street, was included in the Ontario government’s 2021 budget.
Ministry staff are in the process of retaining a design consultant to undertake a Preliminary Design and Class Environmental Assessment for the expansion. The process was initiated last summer. The MTO plans to have a consultant on board to start in April 2022.