City to seek $5-million to fund four-laning one kilometre of road

City staff recommends council seek provincial funding to widen a one-kilometre portion of Black Road to four lanes at a cost of more than $5-million.

A report to council from the Engineering and Planning Department states traffic has increased between McNabb Street and Third Line, and on Third Line from Black Road to the Sault Area Hospital entrance near Great Northern Road.

As a result, the recommendation has been made to widen Black Road to four lanes between McNabb Street and Second line.

This portion of Black Road is the only remaining portion of the TransCanada Highway within city limits which has two lanes.

The province makes $15-million in annual funding available to the 77 municipalities in Ontario which have ‘connecting links,’ municipal roadways which connect to provincial highways and border crossings.

City staff are requesting council’s approval to apply for the Connecting Links funding for the estimated $2.7-million phase one.

Only the approximately one kilometre of roadway between McNabb Street and Second Line will be eligible for a connecting links funding application, with a total cost for the project’s two phases estimated to be $5.25-million.

Black Road improvements — including a widening of the road shoulder to accommodate cyclists — recommended between Second Line and Third Line, and Third Line from Black Road to Sault Area Hospital are not eligible for the Connecting Links funding.

In addition, a dedicated left-turning lane is proposed on Black Road at the entrance to Strathclair Fields to accommodate traffic to the complex and streetlights are proposed to be added along Black Road from Strathclair Fields to Third Line.

Should Connecting Links funding for the one kilometre of roadway between McNabb Street and Second Line be approved, the province will cover up to 90 percent of the project’s cost — with the city responsible for at least the remaining $270,000.

City staff have allocated $1.75-million for the project through the city’s 2015-2019 approved five-year capital plan. 

If funding is approved by the province for one or both phases, any remainder of the $1.75-million city allocation will be reassigned to other capital priorities.

The Ministry of Transportation cancelled the Connecting Links program in 2013, but reintroduced it last spring for projects beginning in the 2016 construction season.

The announcement of the reintroduction of the program was made in Sault Ste. Marie by Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation — in part because Sault Ste. Marie has the largest share of connecting links in the province at 24.5 kilometres.

(PHOTO: MPP David Orazietti speaks April 20, 2015 during a press conference announcing a new Connecting Links program as Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines, Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation and Mayor Christian Provenzano look on. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)

Previous SooToday coverage of this story:

Province to bring back something it took away in 2013 (updated)