Toronto deal sparks push for E.C. Row to become provincial responsibility

Windsor-Tecumseh PC MPP Andrew Dowiesays he's committedto getting Windsor's concerns heard at Queen's Park following new calls for the province to take over responsibility for the E.C RowExpressway.

Butin astatement to CBC News, Dowie stoppedshort of promising to push for the upload.

Dowiesaid he is "in frequent contact" with Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria as well as the premierand the mayors of Windsor and Tecumseh,and said he "will continue to ensure that our voice is represented effectively within the Ontario government."

The emailed statement comes after CBCNews requested comment on Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens' push to have the province resume responsibility for the expressway.

Dowiesays he recognizes the E.C. Row Expressway and County Road 22 as a "key transportation corridor supporting the NextStar Energy EV Battery Plant, the Ford Essex Engine Plantand our many local manufacturers."

He goes on to say that it his position that the roadways are "of significant economic importance tothe province."

Dilkens' push comes on the heels of the province agreeing to take overthe Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto.

"More than 30 per cent of the users of E.C. Row Expressway originate outside of the City of Windsor, yet only City of Windsor residents payto maintain that road," said Dilkens.

The uploading of theexpressways in Toronto gives Ward 9 Coun. Kieran McKenzie hope that the province will also recognize and relieve the financial burden the E.C. Row Expressway poses.

"It sets a precedent," said McKenzie, who is the vice-chair of the Environment, Transportation and Public Safety Standing committee of council.

McKenzie said the E.C. Row Expressway will play a key role in the city's plans to coordinate truck routes in the city.

"We need to reexamine the city as a whole from that perspective. Where does international or where does any freight traffic want to go?Where is it the safest for everybody for it to go? And what are the infrastructure requirements that would be neededin order to funnel the traffic that makes the most sense for the entire community," said McKenzie.

• City spending $10M to upgrade aging E.C. Row Expressway

Responsibility for the expressway was downloaded by the province to the city in 1997. Dillkens said if the province uploads the expresswayit will save the city $10 million a year on infrastructure upgrades.

"That's $10million, if I didn't have to fund that regional road, I could take and put into residential roads where I have residents in every ward in the city complaining about the condition of their residential road," said Dilkens.

The intersection of Banwell Road and the expressway will need $80 million in improvements over two years to be ready for the traffic created by the battery plant, he added.

"So we need to start now in order to meet the timeline for opening of the battery factory. So the pressure is building."

McKenzie and Dilkens agree the city can't afford to spend the$80 million on its own.

CBC News reached out to the Ministry of Transportation for comment and a spokesperson said in a statement the Toronto deal reflects the city's "unique financial challenges."

"That being said, Ontario continues to make historic investments to repair and build new roads and highways in southern Ontario, including widening Highway 3 in Windsor,"said Dakota Brasier, press secretary for Sarkaria, the transport minister.

"We will continue to work with our municipal partners to help ensure the sustainability of municipal infrastructure across Ontario."