New Roundabout Will Help Make Travel Safer and More Energy Efficient

Oxford County, ON – Following eight weeks of construction, the new roundabout at the intersection of County Roads 2 and 6 between Woodstock and Thamesford, in Oxford County, is now open to traffic.

The new roundabout will result in more energy-efficient travel, improved traffic flow and safety for the approximately 12,000 vehicles that pass through the highway intersection every day. Vehicles travelling through roundabouts tend to arrive at a rolling pace rather than stop/start as they do at a traffic signal, resulting in lower fuel consumption and less idling due to shorter delays.

“Our Government is proud to have invested in the construction of this modern roundabout, which will improve the flow of traffic and enhance the safety of travelers,” said Oxford MP Dave MacKenzie, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “This new roundabout is an excellent example of how the Gas Tax Fund supports projects that create jobs in our community and boost the economy”.

“Oxford County’s road system connects our communities to each other and provides key transportation links between other centres. Improving traffic flow and safety along our highways ensures their continued reliability for everyone who travels across our County, whether it’s for business or leisure,” said County of Oxford Warden Don McKay.

The County of Oxford directed $315,000 of its federal Gas Tax Fund allocation to the $825,000 project. The Gas Tax Fund has provided just over $3.1 million in roads infrastructure in Oxford County this year.

“The federal Gas Tax Fund acknowledges that all orders of government must work together to address the pressing need for infrastructure investment in our municipalities,” said Gary McNamara, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO). “Stable and predictable, the Gas Tax Fund is supporting long-term investment in local priority projects right across Ontario”.

This is the second roundabout to be built in Oxford County. The Tollgate Roundabout at County Roads 17 and 59 opened in November 2009. The federal government invested in both roundabout projects through the federal Gas Tax Fund.

The federal Gas Tax Fund provides municipalities with an ongoing source of funding for environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure. Funding is also available for planning projects that contribute to the sustainability of communities and regions.

The Government of Canada, through the Gas Tax Fund, provides $746 million annually for municipal infrastructure in Ontario. On October 4, 2011, the Government of Canada tabled legislation that will make the Gas Tax Fund a permanent annual investment of $2 billion. Between 2010 and 2014, the County of Oxford will receive over $12 million from the Government of Canada’s Gas Tax Fund.