Sudbury city staff say Maley Drive project may come in under budget

The Maley Drive project may come in $4 million under budget and it's being recommended that money be used to expand the project even further.

On Tuesday night, staff presented city councillors with an update on the project. The $80 million dollar project will expand the road to provide an additional east-west thoroughfare through Sudbury. The project is being paid for by the city, provincial and federal governments.

Staff told council thatphase one of the project is currently projecting a surplus and the city could take advantage of the senior level of government funding provided for the project.

They recommended the projected surplus be used to add two additional lanes of Maley Drive between Barry Downe Road and Lansing Avenue, creating four total lanes including a roundabout at Lansing Avenue.

They also want the option to back out of the expansion if the money doesn't materialize.

Some councillors, like Deb McIntosh, say the idea sounds too good to be true.

"Essentially you're asking if we have, if we can confirm we have a $4 million surplus, that what your asking is to apply it to four laning from Barrydowne to Lansing," she said.

"But we have a trigger whereby if we don't realize the surplus then we can trigger and say we won't be doing it."

Noise concerns

But councillor Joscelyn Landry-Altmann wondered if the money could be used to help keep the noise down.

She says she's heard concerns from her constituents since the project began, adding people are becoming fed up with the noise from blasting, heavy trucks and construction.

"This neighborhood is still concerned with future noise, and the fact that $4 million was seen as an underspend, they were hoping that some of that could be put towards noise abatement measures," she said.

Staff at city hall agreed with Landry-Altmann. They say some of the surplus funds could be used to buffer the ongoing construction noise.

The city will now go to tender for the extra roadwork. Staff will update council once the proposals start coming in.