Ontario Construction News staff writer
Most Northern Ontario highways could be upgraded more quickly and at a lower cost with 2+1 road designs rather than full twinning, according to a new report from the Northern Policy Institute.
The report, Twin Carefully: Why 2+1 is the Best Fit for Most Northern Ontario Highways, argues that while there is broad support among municipal, provincial, federal and First Nations leaders for improving highway safety and capacity, the cost and time required to twin large sections of northern highways should be weighed against other options.
A 2+1 road has one lane in each direction, with a third lane alternating between directions every few kilometres. A median barrier separates opposing traffic, allowing vehicles to pass without relying on traditional two-lane highway configurations.
The design is widely used internationally and generally can be built by modifying and expanding an existing highway rather than constructing a completely separate carriageway.
“At current traffic levels in Northern Ontario, 2+1 roads would deliver similar safety and traffic benefits as highway twinning,” the report states.
Author William Dunstan said using the 2+1 configuration more extensively could allow highway improvements to be completed sooner while reducing costs.
“If Ontario primarily used the 2+1 configuration to upgrade northern highways instead of twinning, these upgrades could be delivered sooner – without compromising on safety – and the government could save billions of dollars,” Dunstan said.
He said the savings could instead be directed toward other northern priorities, including health care, all-season roads and remote airports, or returned to taxpayers through lower taxes.
The report’s analysis found that 2+1 roads would provide a better benefit-cost balance than full twinning on most northern highways. That advantage would remain even as traffic volumes increase substantially, according to the report.
It also examined traffic growth between 2014 and 2024. Even if traffic volumes were to grow at twice the rate recorded during that period, the report estimates that most northern highways would not reach the traffic levels needed to justify twinning instead of a 2+1 configuration within the next 60 years.
The report identifies four sections of the Highway 11-17-71 corridor where full twinning would be a reasonable investment based on the available evidence:
- Highway 17 between Greater Sudbury and North Bay
- Highway 17 between Greater Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie
- Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon
- Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Shabaqua Corners
The report does not argue against highway twinning altogether, but instead calls for a more targeted approach based on traffic volumes, safety needs, construction costs and the time required to complete projects.
The Northern Policy Institute’s report is available here.
