Province announces new Highway 3 interchange to be built
The Ontario government has announced plans to build new interchanges along Highway 3 near Windsor, in part to allow improved access to a forthcoming electric vehicle battery plant.
Premier Doug Ford announced his government was pushing ahead with the construction of a new interchange at Banwell Road and E.C. Row Expressway, and a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to Lauzon Parkway. This is in addition to construction of the final phase of the project to widen the highway between Essex and Leamington.
“By widening Highway 3 and building the Banwell and Lauzon Parkway interchanges, we’re building the transportation infrastructure needed to tackle gridlock and support the region’s growing economy,” Ford said.
As a cost of $50 million, the new Banwell interchange will improve access to the NextStar Energy electric vehicle battery plant and the new Windsor-Essex hospital.
The project to widen Highway 3 started last summer, and is being performed by a team led by GIP Paving. The scope of work calls for the expansion of 15.6 kilometres of the road from two to four lanes, as well as the widening of five existing intersections, the addition of traffic signals to three other intersections and resurfacing existing lanes. The work is being performed under a public-private partnership, and at a cost of $138 million.
Construction to widen Highway 3 from Maidstone Avenue to Arner Townline in Essex was completed in fall 2023. The next phase of the project will complete the expansion in Leamington.
Highway 3 is a critical link for people and communities in Southwestern Ontario, with as many as 17,300 vehicles travelling between Essex and Leamington each day.
In June 2023, the province also announced plans to support a new interchange connecting Highway 401 to the future extension of Lauzon Parkway in Windsor. The interchange will support increased opportunities for trade and better access to the Windsor-Detroit border.