The Ontario government has awarded a contract worth more than $138 million to a team led by GIP Paving to design, build and finance the widening of Highway 3 between Essex and Leamington.

The project will widen Highway 3 from two to four lanes from the Arner Townline (Essex Road 23) near the Town of Essex to Union Avenue (Essex Road 34) near the Town of Leamington. It is, says the government, a priority for the province along with plans to help the City of Windsor build a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway.

“This new contract marks an important milestone as we get it done by expanding and widening Highway 3 and connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway for the growing Windsor region,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Right across the province, our government is making historic investments in roads and highways to tackle gridlock, connect communities and build our economy.”

The Highway 3 expansion project includes:

• widening Highway 3 from two to four lanes for 15.6 kilometres between Essex and Leamington;
• widening five existing intersections and adding traffic signals to three intersections that currently operate without signals;
• permanently closing four side road intersections to improve road safety along the corridor; and
• resurfacing existing lanes.

The government also says it will initiate procurement for an Environmental Assessment and design of a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway. The interchange will support increased opportunities for trade and better access to the Windsor-Detroit border.

"Building a new interchange to connect Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway will be a gamechanger for the City of Windsor,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens. “Home to a new battery plant and even more jobs, Windsor needs a reliable and connected transportation network to get people where they need to go."

Trade between Michigan and Ontario was valued at more than $80.7 billion in 2022. The state and province are each other’s top export partner. The corridor between them supports thousands of jobs on both sides of the border.

“Our government is making it safer and easier to travel in southwestern Ontario,” said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney. “By advancing critical transportation projects, like the widening of Highway 3, and supporting plans to connect Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway in Windsor, we’re also supporting economic development and increasing trade opportunities across Ontario’s borders.”

Widening Highway 3 to four lanes from Essex to Leamington is one of 40 projects identified in the government’s draft regional transportation plan. As many as 17,300 vehicles travel the affected stretch of highway per day.

Construction is also underway to widen Highway 3 from Maidstone Avenue to Arner Townline in Essex and is expected to be completed in Fall 2023.

Early works are underway with design work to begin immediately. Construction is expected to start in 2024. Travellers are expected to have full use of the improved highway by 2027.