For Immediate Release                                                    

June 24, 2005

MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS PLANNED FOR HIGHWAY 401 NEAR KINGSTON
Traffic Congestion To Be Eased On Canada’s Busiest Highway

KINGSTON — Highway 401 near Kingston will be safer and less congested over the next five years as a result of the Ontario government’s new infrastructure plan, Kingston and The Islands MPP John Gerretsen announced today.

Two new lanes will be added to a four-kilometre stretch of the 401 between Sydenham Road and Montreal Street. A concrete median barrier will be built to reduce the risk of head-on collisions. Work is scheduled to begin within the next three years pending the necessary environmental assessments.

“Highway 401 is Ontario’s transportation lifeline with more than 400,000 vehicles including high volumes of inter-provincial and international traffic,” said Gerretsen. “Widening the stretch near Kingston will improve safety, help our area businesses and encourage tourists to visit our communities.”

This announcement follows the May 25 release of ReNew Ontario, the government’s five-year plan to increase investments in Ontario’s public infrastructure by more than $30 billion by the year 2010.

A similar project was initiated in 2004 from County Road 38 to Sydenham Road. That project is funded by Canada and Ontario under the Strategic Highway Infrastructure Program (SHIP), which will see $336 million invested in highway improvement projects across Ontario.

“ReNew Ontario supports the provincial economy and accommodating growth through investments in infrastructure including transportation,” added Gerretsen.

Over the next five years, $11.4 billion will be invested in highways, border infrastructure, other transportation and public transit. The Ontario government is investing a record $1.2 billion in highway improvements this year. A safe, efficient transportation system is key to building strong and prosperous communities.

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