Major Tecumseh intersection shut down for construction as County Road 42 widens

A map detailing the planned closure of the intersection of County Road 42 and Lesperance Road in Tecumseh. (Source: County of Essex)

A busy Tecumseh intersection will be closed for the next six weeks starting Monday.

The intersection of County Road 42 and Lesperance Road will be shut down in all directions beginning Monday at 7 a.m. for construction.

The project includes a full rebuild of the intersection, which will be widened to five-plus lanes. New sidewalks, bicycle lanes, pedestrian crosswalks, streetlights and traffic signals will also be installed.

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara says the full closure is needed to complete the work as quickly as possible.

“There is a lot of underground work that has to be done on the four corners, and it’s very difficult in very tight spaces,” McNamara said. “We’re telling people to be patient.”

Weather permitting, the closure is expected to last about six weeks, or until the end of May.

Essex County says businesses at the intersection will remain accessible. Businesses on the north side of County Road 42 can be reached via Lesperance Road from the north, while those on the south side can be accessed from Lesperance Road to the south.

The closest north-south detours across County Road 42 are Banwell Road (County Road 43) and Manning Road (County Road 19).

McNamara says the construction is needed to support projected population growth and housing development in the area.

“I think the end product is what they should be looking at,” he said. “Once County Roads 42 and 43 are finished and the amenities being added within the city of Windsor at Banwell and the overpass are completed, it’s going to be a huge benefit for the region.”

McNamara is urging drivers to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

“This corridor is the banner growth area,” he said. “We’re asking folks to be patient.”

The work is part of a long-term project to widen County Road 42 to four lanes eastward from Windsor through Tecumseh, past Manning Road and into Lakeshore.

Construction this year is focused on the stretch between Banwell Road and Lesperance Road.