Sudbury wants more roads to ease traffic congestion

Greater Sudbury is waiting for word on a new round of infrastructure dollars expected in the upcoming provincial budget.

A few years ago, the city received an injection of millions of dollars that went to re-paving and widening many major streets.

City council's long-standing top priority — the $129 million Maley Drive Extension — didn't get any of that funding, because it was reserved for repairs to existing infrastructure.

Sudbury roads director David Shelsted said he hopes the rules are less stringent this time around.

"We hope that they give a lot of the decision-making power back to the local government," he said. "So we can decide, or our council can decide, how to invest into that infrastructure."

A release date for the Ontario budget has not been set, but it is expected to be tabled before the end of the month.

In the meantime Shelsted remains hopeful a dozen roads — that don't currently exist — will come to fruition.

"There's lots of stuff of we'd like to do, but we need the money to do it," he said.

"There's also lots of challenges for the community. Roads isn't the only priority.

Sudbury city councillor Andre Rivest said he's hearing this round of infrastructure funding is likely to focus on repairs to bridges and culverts.

"I … hate to put it this way, but … you can always let roads go and, all it is, they become rough," he said.

"But bridges and culverts — you cannot shy away from that."