Confusion expected ahead of Maley Drive section opening

Sudbury residentswill soon get their first chanceto drivepartof the $80 million MaleyDriveExtension Project.

A section of the new construction betweenFrood Rd. and Notre Dame Ave. will be partially opened on August 14.

"We've constructed the north side andin order to finish the south sidewe need to get traffic off the existing asphalt," David Shelsted,Sudbury'sDirector of Infrastructure and Capital Planning said.

He added that construction of the segment should be fullycompleted in September or October.

Theextension projectwill eventually connect Lasalle Boulevardwest with Falconbridge Highway, providing mining trucksand commuterswith a cross-city routethat does not involve Lasalleor the Kingsway.

According to the city's website, diverting these trucks "will extend the life of the city's arterial roads and ultimately reduce maintenance costs." They also highlight the economic benefits for mining companiesthat will come with reduced traffic.

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Eventually, the extension will containSudbury's first large roundabout intersections.

City officials are worried that some drivers will be confused by the circular roadways, and are planning educational press events leading up to their opening.

Adding to the confusion, any drivers travelling west on the newly opened segment of the project will have to navigate the top half of a roundabout while passingthe entrance of College Boreal.

Temporary traffic signals will be in placeand will direct traffic until the roundabout is complete, Shelsted said.

The city, as well as organizations like the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, contend that roundabouts are safer, reduce environmental impact, reduce traffic and are less expensive to build that traditional intersections.

There will eventually be four roundabouts along the Maley Dr. extension.