Road construction season heats up in Sudbury with major projects

For many in Sudbury last year, the road construction season seemed never ending, and the director of engineering services says it certainly was unusually busy.

Mark Frayne says last year was the largest construction year is the city's history.

Frayne has a little good news for drivers this summer. He says this year's list of projects is about 3/4 of last year's workload, but long construction seasons and big budgets are becoming the norm.

Epic season last year

"We're looking at $90 million," he said. "Last year we spent a $115 million. The amount of infrastructure construction that we've been doing over the last 10 years has gradually been increasing and should continue to do that, as we continue to prioritize roads and our water and sewer."

As for major projects, the Maley Drive interchange should be completed and work starting on a section from Lasalle to Barrydowne, he said.

Also to be completed this year: Lorne Street rehabilitation, the Kelly Lake Road bridge, the Spruce Street wastewater structure, and the Capreol waterfront.

These projects will start this year: Barry Downe water main improvements, and widening and twinning MR 35 from Azilda to Chelmsford.

You can see a map of the city's construction projects for 2018 here.

Shave and pave

"If you look at the budget, the 2018 budget, you'll see pretty much what work we're doing this year, a relatively good plan on what we'll be doing next year and then there's three more years what we call outlook," he said.

"These roads have shown up as roads that do have priority and may need recondition. Those ones however do change as road conditions might change."

Frayne adds there are also some roads that may need work, but won't get total reconstruction.

"We call them resurfacing, shave and pave, where we'll come in and grind down and area and repave it. That's more to prolong the life before it needs complete reconstruction."