Regarding roads, closest in distance is not always best Sudbury.
Closest roads are Aroland and Pickle Lake. Pickle Lake looks a bit longer BUT a road through ther could serve more communities and also follows higher ground where bridge costs are to be factored in. Higher ground and narrower rivers are the reason. Terrein slope to east and some what north ( my assumption from direction rivers flow).
There is also the political and environmental concerns to be considered because existing winter road paths can be partly utilized. Environmentalists do not like fresh paths cut through virgin lands.