Ontario Moves Forward with Next Phase of Highway 3 Expansion

Province issues Request for Proposals to widen highway between Essex and Leamington

December 03, 2021

LEAMINGTON – The Ontario government has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to three prequalified teams to design, build and finance the next stage of the Highway 3 Expansion project. This includes widening the highway from two to four lanes for 15.6 kilometres between the Town of Essex and the Town of Leamington, as part of the province’s plan to build Ontario.

“Road safety has been – and always will be – a priority for our government. By widening Highway 3, we are delivering on our promise to make travel easier and safer for the thousands of people who depend on this roadway each day,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. “Our government has a clear vision to build Ontario. This project will support good jobs during construction, and once complete, ensure that our truck drivers and carriers can get their goods to market more quickly.”

The prequalified teams shortlisted for the project were announced in October based on criteria identified in a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process that began in June 2021. Each team is now being invited to begin preparing proposals that detail how they will design, build and finance the project, with a successful bidder expected to be announced in fall 2022.

“Our government is committed to investing in meaningful infrastructure projects that make a real improvement in the safety, efficiency and productivity of Ontarians,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “Projects such as Highway 3 are crucial to ensuring goods and supplies, including vaccines and PPE, can be delivered efficiently and quickly. In every corner of our province, we are getting shovels in the ground faster, building smarter, and expanding and enhancing critical infrastructure that will pave the way for Ontario to bounce back stronger than ever.”

Highway 3 is a critical highway that provides both regional and international connectivity. Upgrades to Highway 3 in the County of Essex are expected to improve traffic movement, increase highway capacity and enhance highway safety.

Quick Facts

As many as 17,300 vehicles travel between Essex and Leamington each day, making Highway 3 a critical link between communities in southwestern Ontario.
Construction is currently underway to widen 4.9 kilometres of Highway 3 from Maidstone Avenue to Arner Townline in Essex and is expected to be completed in 2023.
This project is being delivered through Infrastructure Ontario’s Public-Private Partnership (P3) model.
Widening Highway 3 to four lanes from Essex to Leamington is one of over 40 actions in Connecting the Southwest: A Draft Transportation Plan for Southwestern Ontario. The Southwestern Ontario Transportation Task Force, formed in January 2021, will continue to explore opportunities to build an integrated transportation system across all modes, including rail, bus, and local transit services.

Ontario Moves Forward with Next Phase of Highway 3 Expansion

Ontario Moves Forward with Next Phase of Highway 3 Expansion

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