The province said Monday construction is underway to widen Highway 11/17 from McGuire Road to Coughlin Road near Nipigon as part of its plan to twin more than 107 kilometers of the Trans-Canada Highway between Thunder Bay and Nipigon. Widening includes five km of Highway 11/17 from McGuire Road to Coughlin Road, northwest of the existing two-lane corridor with two lanes in each direction and two new bridges across the Black Sturgeon River, the province said in a news release. “Highway 11/17 is a key link, supporting Ontario’s position as an economic powerhouse, strengthening interprovincial trade and helping to reduce barriers that cost us billions of dollars annually,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “This work is an important part of building a stronger transportation network that supports our communities, local industries and long-term economic growth across the north,” said Kevin Holland, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan “The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association will continue working with both the government of Ontario and the government of Canada to advance four-laning along Highway 11/17 and build the safe, reliable and resilient national transportation corridor that Northwestern Ontario and Canada need,” said Rick Dumas, NOMA President. The province also announced it’s implementing 24/7 operations of the Shuniah truck inspection station on Highway 11/17. “The $30 million inspection site gives enforcement personnel a cutting-edge facility to identify potential issues with commercial vehicles and keep northern roads safe,” the release said. On Nov. 25, the province completed major construction to widen Highway 11/17 from Coughlin Road to Highway 582 and from Highway 587 to Pearl Lake, including two new bridges over the Pearl River.
