Connecting Link construction resumes in Timmins

Construction season is underway in Timmins and the city’s main road is continuing to get special attention.

Algonquin Boulevard is closed from Brunette Road to Balsam Street and city officials say the inconvenience will be worth it.

Connecting Link construction is in full swing yet again — and that means tearing up infrastructure that’s at least a century old and giving it a facelift.

“We are redoing the road base, we’re addressing all the old infrastructure underneath the ground,” said Scott Tam from the City of Timmins.

“Replacing sidewalk, curb, all that stuff. We’re grinding all the asphalt on this section of Algonquin and, yeah, we’re into full-blown construction season.”

Detour routes are in place, with commuter traffic being redirected through Second Avenue on the south side and Sixth Avenue to the north.

Heavy trucks are being rerouted further north via Shirley Street and Highway 655.

The construction is expected to affect accessibility to businesses located right along Algonquin, as well as city hall and other nearby shops.

“We’re working well with the chamber and the BIA, to help get the message across,” Tam said.

“We’ve made arrangements with the contractor, to ensure that pedestrians still can cross over. We’re trying the best we can to minimize … as much disruption as we can and, again, hopefully we have a nice finished product for everyone to enjoy for years to come.”

The city is spending roughly $10 million of its Connecting Link construction budget to complete this round of work. That adds up to roughly $55 million spent on the project since 2019 — helped in part by around $74 million in provincial funding over eight years.

The entire project is expected to cost roughly $140 million.

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