This southern Ontario highway is about to get a whole lot bigger

A southern Ontario highway is one step closer to a major expansion.

The Government of Ontario announced on Thursday that it has procured an engineering consultant to undertake the expansion design for Highway 6 South in Hamilton. International engineering firm AECOM will draw up a preliminary design and environmental assessment for taking a nine-kilometre section of the highway between the 403 and Upper James Street from two lanes to four.

“Our smart, targeted highway investments, like widening Highway 6 South in Hamilton, will better connect communities, create good-paying jobs and support the needs of a growing population,” said Minister of Transportation Caroline Mulroney. “Four-laning this corridor will improve the movement of people and goods, while serving the national, regional and local economies.”

This stretch of highway is the main connection to the John Munro Hamilton International Airport, and has been targeted for four lanes for quite some time. In fact, a four-lane highway link to the Hamilton airport was originally designed and received environmental assessment approval all the way back in the late 1980s.

“The widening of Highway 6 from two lanes to four is vital to the continued growth of the John Munro Hamilton International Airport and the surrounding areas,” said Donna Skelly, MPP for Flamborough-Glanbrook. “This is an important step forward in our work to ensure the safe, efficient movement of people and goods here in Hamilton and across the region.”

Funding for the expansion was allocated in the 2021 Ontario budget, which set aside $2.6 billion to expand and repair highways in 2021 and 2022.

AECOM’s environmental assessment will begin in the spring and is set to include outreach to Indigenous communities, municipalities, and local stakeholders, the province says. It’s expected to wrap up in spring 2024.