The Ontario government has announced $18.8 million for some major road construction projects in Windsor's east end aimed at improving traffic flow and opening up new home construction.
The funding will be used to widen Banwell Road, extend Wyandotte Street East, and undertake improvements at the Banwell Road-McNorton Street intersection.
The investment is being touted as important to help facilitate the construction of thousands of new homes along the Banwell Road corridor and in nearby existing neighbourhoods.
"These upgrades will not only facilitate the construction of up to 3,030 new homes, but they will also enhance the overall transportation network, improving mobility and connectivity for residents in our growing community," said Andrew Dowie, Conservative MPP for Windsor-Tecumseh.
The funding is being delivered through the Housing-Enabling Core Servicing Stream under the Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program, which includes $400 million to help build, repair, and maintain municipal roads, bridges, and culverts that will promote housing growth in communities across Ontario.
Dowie says that along with unlocking the potential for thousands of new homes that we need, the investment will support connections to established neighbourhoods.
"Ensuring that new developments are connected to reliable and convenient roadways, improving mobility and connectivity for our residents," he says.
All three projects come as that section of the city is experiencing growth and increased traffic due to the nearby NextStar Energy electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant, which is at the intersection of Banwell Road and the E. C. Row Expressway.
This latest investment is part of an effort to improve traffic through that end of the city and follows a March 2024 announcement by the province to invest $50 million to help build a new interchange at Banwell Road and E.C. Row Expressway.