Northern Ontario Construction News Staff Writer
Major construction to widen two sections of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 11/17) between Thunder Bay and Nipigon has been completed, marking a significant milestone in the long-term effort to twin more than 100 kilometres of the corridor in northwestern Ontario.
Crews, led by Teranorth Construction & Engineering Ltd., have expanded 6.5 kilometres of Highway 11/17 from Coughlin Road to the eastern junction of Highway 582, and an additional 14 kilometres from east of Highway 587 to Pearl Lake, including the construction of two new bridges over the Pearl River.
Each completed section now features four lanes divided by a median, doubling capacity and improving safety for thousands of drivers who rely on the Trans-Canada Highway every year.
“The expansion of Highway 11/17 is important for northwestern Ontario,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay–Atikokan. “By improving safety, increasing capacity and strengthening this vital trade corridor, we’re ensuring that people and goods can move efficiently across our region and the country.”
Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon is a critical transportation link in the national network, carrying goods valued at more than $45.3 billion annually. With no alternate routes available for transcontinental and regional traffic, widening the highway is considered vital to maintaining the flow of commerce and improving travel reliability across northern Ontario.
Work continues on future expansion phases. Preliminary design is underway to widen 12 kilometres from Highway 582 to Dorion East Loop Road, while WSP has been contracted to lead detailed design for 7.6 kilometres from Pearl Lake to west of the CP Overhead at Ouimet.
Once the corridor is fully twinned, the project will improve traffic safety, reduce congestion, and strengthen trade connections across Ontario and the rest of Canada.