Wider lanes coming to Hwy 401, province says

The province is moving ahead with plans to widen a stretch of Ontario’s busy Highway 401 that will better move a growing population around the region, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria says.

On Friday, Sarkaria announced the province is going forward with work to replace the Oshawa Wilson Road overpass in Durham Region. This project will make way for the widening of Highway 401.

The construction is expected to begin this summer and the project will include the installation of new light poles, upgrades to the existing noise barrier and new pedestrian sidewalks.

The province says the project will “relieve gridlock and improve the movement of people and goods across the region.”

“As Durham’s population grows, our government will continue to stand up for drivers by investing in the roads and bridges needed to tackle gridlock and shorten commute times for everyone.”

Durham MPP Todd McCarthy called the project “a game-changer for our community, paving the way for a more efficient and connected Durham.”

The province is already working on replacing the Simcoe Street and Albert Street underpasses in Oshawa and rehabilitating two over-water bridges between Bowmanville and Clarington. Bridge construction over Highway 401 at Simcoe Street saw an overnight closure last week.

Widening of the 401 in Durham Region began in 2022 with work on the new bridges at Simcoe and Albert Streets is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Project information is available at Oshawa.ca/MTO. Community members are encouraged to subscribe to Road and Sidewalk Closures to receive roadway closures. For project-related questions and comments, please email Service Oshawa.\

– With files from Glenn Hendry