THUNDER BAY -- The Ministry of Transportation has revealed more details of its planning and design study of a section of Highway 61 in Thunder Bay.
In July of last year, the MTO announced that it would be looking into upgrading the busy highway between Arthur Street and Loch Lomond Road, including the possibility of four-laning the section south of Thunder Bay Airport.
The ministry has since hired a consulting engineering firm, BTE, to assist in the study, which is expected to take two years to complete.
According to information on the study website, Highway 61 within the study area carries an average daily traffic volume ranging between 24,000 vehicles per day at Arthur Street and 9,000 vehicles per day south of Loch Lomond Road.
The corridor became more congested after the closure of the James Street Swing Bridge in 2013.
"The impacts upon highway safety and operations due to an increase in the existing and future traffic demands have necessitated a review of interim and ultimate highway improvements to accommodate growth," the posted announcement states.
The study will consider widening improvements and will look at two distinct sections of the corridor:
- Part A: Chippewa Road to 0.5 kilometres south of Arthur St.
- Part B: 0.5 kilometres south of Loch Lomond Road to Chippewa Road
Public consultations began in January with small group discussions. The first of a series of Public Information Centres will be held this summer.
The study is expected to be completed in 2020.
The MTO notes that this project follows the recent highway planning and Environmental Assessment for the Thunder Bay Expressway for a controlled access freeway from Arthur Street to Balsam Street.
It says "the continuation of this planning to the south is a proactive step by MTO to achieve design consistency on the provincial road network."
