Sudbury Mayor Lefebvre and local residents launched an official pressure campaign to widen Highway 69 to four lanes [1].
The movement seeks to address a long history of fatal traffic accidents on the current two-lane stretch of the highway. Residents and officials argue that the lack of expansion continues to jeopardize public safety for those traveling through the region.
At a rally held in Bell Park, approximately 20 people gathered to voice their demands [1]. The group is calling on the province to finalize the transition to a four-lane highway [1] to mitigate the risks associated with the existing road design.
Mayor Lefebvre emphasized the human cost of the delay. "Nous avons perdu trop de gens sur les routes," Lefebvre said [1].
The push for expansion is not a new request. Initial commitments for the project were made in the early 2000s [2]. Despite those early promises, large sections of the route remain underdeveloped, leading to frustration among the local population.
One local citizen said that residents have been demanding the change for years [1]. The campaign spokesperson said the fatal accidents occurring on Highway 69 are "désastreux" [2].
The campaign aims to keep the issue in the provincial spotlight until construction is completed. Supporters believe that only a full four-lane expansion will provide the necessary safety margins for the volume of traffic currently using the corridor.
“"Nous avons perdu trop de gens sur les routes"”
The mobilization in Sudbury reflects a growing tension between municipal safety needs and provincial infrastructure timelines. By framing the expansion as a matter of life and death rather than mere traffic flow, local leadership is attempting to force the project higher up the provincial priority list to resolve a decades-old commitment.
