The provincial government under former Premier Mike Harris downloaded the expressway to Windsor, as a cost-saving measure.
Uploading E.C. Row Expressway back to the province is a top priority for mayoral incumbent Drew Dilkens.
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And although he’s been trying for years to get the Doug Ford Conservatives to reclaim responsibility for the major east-west corridor, which costs Windsor taxpayers millions to maintain and operate each year, Dilkens said he’s the only person running for mayor capable of getting the job done next term.
“It’s been an injustice to people in the City of Windsor for nearly 30 years,” Dilkens told reporters on Wednesday while standing on a pedestrian overpass spanning the noisy freeway.
“We’ve been planting seeds for a number of years, and I’m confident, if re-elected, I could get this over the finish line. I’m not denying that my opponents have the passion or dedication to work on this file if they so choose. I’m recognizing that this is a tall order.”
In 1997 and 1998, the provincial government under Premier Mike Harris downloaded thousands of kilometres of provincial highways to municipal governments, including E.C. Row in Windsor, as a cost-saving measure.
Earlier this year, the province announced it would take back ownership of Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway in 2027. In a news release sent out in June, the province said the move marked a “major milestone” in its plan to “fight gridlock,” keep people moving across the Greater Toronto Area, and keep the highways toll-free and in good repair.
Dilkens said Windsor’s expressway is also “worthy of consideration.” He expects the roadway could one day require “major capital investment” to add a third lane in each direction.
This year, for Windsor taxpayers, the capital cost of maintaining the expressway was more than $4.5 million, Dilkens said. Add on operating expenses — grass cutting, snow clearing, streetlights, and more — and costs associated with E.C. Row rise to $6.6 million per year.
If the province were to take over those costs, Dilkens said he would redirect the millions in savings to Windsor’s residential road rehab fund, supporting the city’s Asset Management Plan, a provincially mandated strategy that municipalities must use to manage, maintain, and replace public infrastructure.
To pay for its asset management plan, the city has, since 2018, collected additional levies from property owners: 0.25 per cent for residential roads and another 1.16 per cent for other infrastructure work. And while the AMP levy, as it’s known, has come to an end, the next city council could vote to revive it.
Dilkens said one of his opponents in the mayoral race did not support the asset management plan. Although he did not name the individual, the only other person running for mayor who served on city council is Fred Francis of Ward 1.
