Delivering Results for E.C. Row

$10-Million Facelift for Expressway Shifts to Eastbound Side

The next phase in a $10-million overhaul rebuilding one of the oldest and busiest sections of the E.C. Row Expressway gets underway the week of April 11, 2022.

Motorists will see lane restrictions between Huron Church Road and Howard Avenue with the thrust of construction between Dominion and Dougall avenues.

“The expressway is a unique and vital commuter link connecting our entire city,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens. “My council colleagues and I have committed the funding necessary to ensure it is renewed to smooth commutes and increase safety.”

Just like the previous phase, construction crews will make use of a crossover to shift traffic, this time from the eastbound side on to an altered section of westbound lanes.  Utilizing this crossover will allow traffic to continue to move while affording workers the safety they need.

“Residents of Ward 10 know the importance of this section of E.C. Row Expressway as it is highly used and provides quick and easy access across the city,” said Ward 10 Councillor Jim Morrison. “While we will all be inconvenienced, we need to continually improve our infrastructure and this council is committed to do just that with record amounts of responsible budgeted spending. Personally, I am thrilled to see the Dougall off ramp getting the attention it needs.”

Work on the eastbound lanes will remove four layers of the original roadway, including the cracked pavement, concrete, stone and subbase. It will then be filled and topped with new asphalt.

The total project is the biggest investment by Windsor City Council toward reconstruction of the E.C. Row Expressway since the City took ownership from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation in 1997.

In 2022, City Council approved investing nearly $47 million dollars in road upgrades throughout our community – up from $44 million in 2020 and $25.2 million in 2019. This road work is designed to improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and lower commuting times.

Facts about E.C. Row Expressway:

·         The freeway is named after Edward Charles Row, who was the president of Chrysler Canada between 1951 and 1956.

·         It was built by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation between 1971 and 1983.

·         In 1997, the Province of Ontario downloaded responsibility for the expressway to the City of Windsor, requiring municipal taxpayers to be responsible for repairs and maintenance.

·         The expressway is 15.4 kilometres in length.

·         At peak commuting times, up to 75,000 vehicles travel through E.C. Row Expressway in each direction.

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