Roads to Prosperity: County Advocates for Provincial Infrastructure Funding

A County of Essex delegation met with provincial officials at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference in August to advocate for funding to complete a vital infrastructure project.

Warden Hilda MacDonald and CAO Sandra Zwiers met with Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, seeking provincial assistance to construct a grade-separated interchange at the intersection of County Road 22 and County Road 19/Manning Road. Local MPPs Andrew Dowie, Anthony Leardi and Trevor Jones were also in attendance, as was a representative from the office of Premier Doug Ford.

“The Windsor-Essex region is on the cusp of historic economic growth, driven by transformative projects that promise to generate tens of thousands of jobs, inject hundreds of millions of dollars into government coffers, and ignite an unprecedented surge in residential, commercial and industrial development,” said the submission to the province. “However, the full economic potential of these historic projects may not be realized without substantial provincial support for necessary infrastructure enhancements.”

The submission, which was titled Roads to Prosperity and which included a video, emphasized the importance of this intersection to the local economy and the pressing need to construct more homes. It stressed that existing traffic lights can no longer handle ever-increasing traffic volumes, creating unsafe conditions and congestion for commuters. Recommendations for a grade-separated interchange at this intersection were made in a 2008 environmental assessment completed in partnership with the Province.

County Road 22 is a regional road, an extension of Windsor’s EC Row Expressway, connecting the city and the new border crossing to the fast-growing communities of Tecumseh and Lakeshore. County Road 19 is a vital economic artery that connects to Highway 401 and markets beyond. The intersection sees about 42,000 vehicles per day and was the site of 123 collisions between 2014 and 2023, the highest number of any location on the Essex County Road network.

The County delegation also emphasized the considerable investments the County of Essex is making to enhance and expand its road network. Last year the County constructed a two-lane roundabout at the intersection of County Road 42 and County Road 43/Banwell Road and is constructing another one this year at the intersection of County Road 42 and County Road 19/Manning Road. This year, the County is investing $98.1 million to enhance its road network, including $67.6 million for capacity expansion.

The County requested $60 million from the province which, combined with $45 million from the County, would allow for the expedited construction of a grade-separated interchange at the intersection in 2028. This timeline would ensure the completion of other key projects, particularly improvements to the County Road 42 corridor, which also runs east-west and could handle detour traffic without imperiling commerce and the flow of motorists and goods.

“The provincial government has consistently shown its support for Windsor-Essex and expressed its belief that the region can leverage its skilled workforce, history of manufacturing excellence and proximity to the border to become a powerhouse that drives the provincial economy,” concluded the County’s submission. “The County of Essex is seeking continued support to maximize the positive impact of the generational opportunities before it.”

Read the County’s submission to the province and watch a video below.