The city is aiming to avoid any traffic headaches around some of the road construction projects planned for 2026 in Windsor.
Mayor Drew Dilkens highlighted the $3 million being spent in Ward 1 as part of the $36.6 million in the 2026 budget allocated for road rehabilitation, repair, reconstruction, and replacement.
The road projects in South Windsor will consist of milling and paving the surface asphalt, with the work extending the life of the roads approximately 10 to 15 years, including:
- Cousineau Road - Casgrain Drive to Country Club Drive. Work will also include minor curb repairs. The project is planned to commence in late June 2026, with expected completion by September 2026. Work will be completed during the summer months to avoid construction during the school year.
- Norfolk Street-Bruce Avenue to Dandurand Avenue. The project is planned to commence in June 2026, with expected completion by September 2026. Work will be completed during the summer months to avoid construction delays during the school year.
- Matchett Road-Titcombe Road to Sprucewood Avenue. The project is planned to commence in August 2026, with expected completion by September 2026. Work will be completed in August to avoid any traffic concerns related to the $7.9 million construction project the Town of LaSalle is undertaking on Front Road.
- Santo Drive to Borrelli Drive. The project is planned to commence in June 2026, with expected completion in July 2026.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says some of the projects in Ward 1 are starting in June to avoid any construction delays during the school year while the Matchett Road work will begin in August due to the major road construction project on Front Road in LaSalle.
"We've timed out the Matchett Road project so that we're being the least disruptive to LaSalle's work and motorists who have to go through that area as well. We talk to the folks in neighbouring towns; we try and sort these things out in a sensible way and accommodate their construction schedule with ours," he says. "Ultimately, we always have the residents' interests in mind to get the work done and have the least impact and disruption as possible."
Windsor's Commissioner of Infrastructure Services, David Simpson, says they will be trying to phase all of the work this year so they're not creating gridlock across the city.
"Over half of the roads in the city of Windsor are in good or very good condition. A lot of the funding allotment that you're seeing here is targeting roads in that poor or very poor category. Going back to the 2025 AMP, we actually only have around six per cent of our road network in very poor condition," he says.
Dilkens says they're really planning for the growth of the city with these road project investments.
"You're going to see, like you did last year, some significant investments being put into the ground and road work being done so we plan for the future growth of the city but also take care of the existing assets that we have," he says. "Just be patient and make your way through the city; we all have to do this. There is some great money being spent to do great work in the city in all parts of the city."
For 2026, the city budget includes over $317 million for capital investments, with $163.8 million allocated for roads, including the $36.6 million for road rehabilitation, repair, reconstruction, and replacement.