‘A four-lane highway would be absolutely safer’: Discussion underway to upload ownership of Highbury Ave. to province

Discussions are underway about the possibility of Ontario taking over ownership of Highbury Avenue. CTV London's Brent Lale has the details.

A transportation master plan by Elgin County projects traffic on Highbury Ave. will triple with new industry coming to St. Thomas, Ont.

“We would like to see major upgrades so that it can become the major link that we need between the 401, residential areas, and the major industrial area that’s being developed,” said Elgin County Warden Dominique Giguère.

The important economic corridor extends from the new Yarmouth Yards in St. Thomas to the south end of the city of London.

“The mayor of St. Thomas, myself, and the warden have gotten together and approached the province to ask if the province would have an interest in having this as an uploaded provincial asset,” said Josh Morgan, mayor of London, Ont.

Elgin-Middlesex London Member of Provincial Parliament Rob Flack told CTV News his government is prioritizing moving people safely.

His wish is for the province to take ownership of Highbury Avenue.

“I remember the Premier (Doug Ford) was here to take a look at the PowerCo site a couple of years ago in AMO was on in London,” said Flack.

“I purposely made us turn on to Highbury and he said, ‘You know, Rob, this is this is a tough highway’ and I said, ‘It’s only going to get worse.’”

The Ministry of Transportation is currently working to twin Highway 3 leading into St. Thomas. Improving Highbury could reduce future traffic issues on Highway 74 through Belmont or on Wellington Road.

“A four-lane highway would be absolutely safer,” said Giguère.

“You’ve driven that road many times, I have too. It seems to have everything going against it from the geography, the weather patterns also make it prone to snow squalls and fog. We absolutely need a safe, practical road to help everybody to grow.”

Municipalities often complain about the province downloading services and costs to them. However, there are recent examples of the province actually uploading roads, like the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway in Toronto, Ont. and Highway 174 in Ottawa.

“This is a road within the City of London that practically operates as a highway, but then it goes down to two lanes south,” said Morgan.

“It is something that requires the coordination of two municipalities to do a proper widening of it because we only own part of it. Having it (Highbury) as a provincial asset, not only takes that capital asset off our books as well as the ongoing maintenance of it but allows it to be developed as a strategic provincial corridor in partnership with the province and the opportunities that come along with doing so.”

Flack said he will continue to push his government to make the transfer happen in the months and years go come.

“There’s one Treasury and there’s lots of priorities in this province from hospitals to schools, but also transportation is huge,” said Flack.

“I’ve talked to the Minister of Transportation, and it’s an ongoing discussion. We’ve got to make it a priority.”