BARRIE, ONT. -- City of Barrie crews are racing against the weather to finish up some road projects before winter arrives.

Crews are preparing for new infrastructure in the city's south end in the area of Mapleview Drive on the east side of Yonge Street that will mean road closures.

Workers are fitting new sewer lines and piping in the Hewitt's Secondary area.

"This is the major infrastructure that needs to be in place for these subdivisions to move forward," said Andrea Miller, general manager of infrastructure and growth management with the City of Barrie.

Meanwhile, drivers will finally have some relief in the Big Bay Point Road and Bayview Drive area when Fairview reopens sometime this week.

The Harvie Road/Highway 400 overpass was scheduled to be completed at the end of October, but several factors have delayed the $76 million project. It won't be ready now until possibly spring or summer 2021.

Miller said the pandemic is partly to blame for the delay, that and the temperatures dropping.

"The big issue right now is related to... there's a bunch of work that has to happen that is just not conducive to cold weather," she said.

The overpass will support growth in the south end of the city and connect Big Bay Point Road to Harvie Road, alleviating traffic in the Mapleview area.

When completed, the overpass will have five lanes for vehicles, two separate lanes for cyclists and two for pedestrians.

As for the road closures along Mapleview Drive, they will be in effect until Nov. 9.