Second Line to get $2 million wider (updated)

Phase 3 of the Second Line East Widening project will go ahead.

David Orazietti, Sault MPP, announced Friday $2 million in provincial funding will go towards the $3.9 million cost of widening the road, from the bottom of the hill at Second Line East to Black Road.

The city will pay the balance of the cost of the project.

The provincial funding comes from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF), designed to assist municipalities with a population of less than 100,000 with their infrastructure needs.

50 percent of funding for OCIF projects is based on an Ontario government formula, the other 50 percent based on applications from municipalities.

Christian Provenzano, Sault mayor, was in attendance at Friday's announcement held at the Civic Centre, and highlighted the importance of Second Line as a vital link for northbound and eastbound commercial truck traffic on Highway 17, commercial truck traffic heading to and from the U.S., a link to the new St. Mary's College, Sault Area Hospital and the shopping and services stretching along Great Northern Road. 

Don Elliott, city director of engineering services, said Phase 3 will consist of five lanes, (two lanes in each direction plus a centre turning lane).

"We should start construction in May or so, and probably take most of the construction season," Elliott told reporters.

"We plan a sidewalk on the south side, and on the north side there will be an asphalt trail all the way…this third phase will have ditches, we won't be doing curbs and storm sewers, so there will be paved shoulders for cyclists."

Elliott said there may also be "a more elaborate intersection" at Strathclair Park, involving traffic lights on Second Line or an improved entrance to Stratchclair Park on Black Road in the future.

Both Provenzano and Elliott said the city is planning to apply for provincial funding for widening of Black Road in three phases.

Those phases of Black Road widening go from McNabb Street to Second Line, Second Line to Third Line, and Third Line at Black Road to the SAH entrance.

"The portion we're talking about now is from Second Line to McNabb, it's two lanes now and it can get congested quite a bit, we're doing an environmental assessment…we expect it will be four lanes, if not five," Elliott said.

"We've budgeted for what we would guess to be the city's portion of it in 2016, we would like to widen Black Road (from Second Line to McNabb) in 2016 (with provincial help) if at all possible."

Elliott estimated the overall cost of that phase (before provincial funding approval) would be between $4 million and $5 million.

It is hoped second phase of Black Road widening, between Second Line and Third Line, will take place in 2018, Elliott said.

The total cost of all three Black Road widening phases, without provincial funding, is approximately $16 million, Elliott said.

“Investments like this are crucial to ensuring economic growth and help municipalities build and maintain key infrastructure,” said Orazietti. “The Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund will provide the City of Sault Ste. Marie with provincial funding for local infrastructure priorities and is just one of the programs our government has created to both build and renew vital infrastructure across Ontario.”

Sault Ste. Marie will receive $2 million towards the Phase 3 Second Line East Widening project through this funding program toward the total $3.9 million cost of the project.

This investment will help to improve important infrastructure that many Sault residents use every day.

“The City of Sault Ste. Marie thanks the Province of Ontario for supporting the third phase of the Second Line widening,” said Mayor Christian Provenzano.

“Second Line routes significant traffic from the TransCanada Highway and the International Bridge through the city each day. We appreciate the financial support from the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund that will help us make further improvements to this vital traffic corridor.”

Supporting small, rural and northern communities is part of the government’s economic plan for Ontario.

The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people’s talents and skills, revitalizing public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.

QUICK FACTS

• The Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund (OCIF) provides $100 million per year in funding for critical road, bridge, water and wastewater projects.

Through the OCIF $50 million is available per year in formula-based funding and another $50 million per year is available in application-based funding. • OCIF is part of Moving Ontario Forward, Ontario’s plan to invest in public infrastructure.

The province is making an unprecedented $130 billion investment in public infrastructure over the next ten years.

This will support more than 110,000 jobs on average each year in construction and related industries.

• To be eligible for the Ontario Community Infrastructure Fund, municipalities must have a population of less than 100,000 as of the 2011 census or be located in northern or rural Ontario. 

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(PHOTO: Sault Ste. Marie MPP David Orazietti and Sault Ste. Marie Mayor Christian Provenzano at the Civic Centre, where Orazietti announced $2 million in provincial infrastructure funding, February 27, 2015. Darren Taylor/SooToday)