Expansion of McKeown Avenue to Four Lanes Set to Begin

Starting this month, the expansion of McKeown Avenue, from Cartier Street to Gormanville Road, to four lanes will begin.

The contractor is mobilizing this week and construction is expected to start the week of June 17.

This $9.6 million project involves widening the road to accommodate four lanes of traffic, with two lanes in each direction. Additionally, a new multi-use path will be constructed on the south side of the road, extending from Gormanville Road, past Cartier Street to the intersection at A&W. This multi-use path is expected to be extended in the future to connect with Airport Road.

Construction is scheduled to take place over a two-year period, with completion targeted for October 2025. The Contractor’s tentative construction operation for this season is to focus on completing the works from Gormanville to McNamara including the installation of the new traffic lights. One lane of traffic in each direction is to be maintained for the duration of the project. There will be instances where this will not be feasible, and traffic will be temporarily down to one lane for both directions or detoured as required until the work is complete. Traffic interruptions are to be expected at the onset of construction to allow the contractor to setup their traffic control and to construct the required temporary roadways. Drivers are advised to leave extra time for travel in this area or take an alternative route to their destination where possible.

Funded in part by the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP): Rural and Northern Stream, the provincial and federal governments will contribute up to approximately $4.2 million toward the project.

Other key highlights of the project include:

·        Construction of a new intersection at McNamara Street, complete with traffic lights to facilitate safe crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.

·        Replacement and addition of new streetlights, including pedestrian lighting for the sidewalk on the north side of the road.

·        Replacement of all existing underground water and sewer services except for a large concrete trunk storm sewer.

·        Installation of a new storm sewer beneath the multi-use path.

 The City of North Bay thanks residents in advance for their patience and cooperation while this important infrastructure project is underway.