The province has announced construction plans for a number of the region’s highways, which includes two overpasses in the City of Barrie.
On Monday, Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation revealed they would be spending $26.9 million to replace the Tiffin Street overpass and repair the Barrie-Collingwood Railway overpass.
Both overpasses run along Highway 400.
“The overpasses in Barrie were built in the ‘50s and ‘60s and are at the end of their useful life," says Barrie’s director of engineering Jacqueline Weston.
Work on both projects is expected to begin in July and is scheduled to finish in the fall of 2018.
“This project is proof of our government’s commitment to provide modern infrastructure that will reduce commute times, create jobs and improve the quality of life for Ontarians," Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca said in a statement.
The project has been a priority of the city since 2014. Weston says the replacement will play a big part in the city’s long term plans to widen Tiffin Street.
"We will be widening in the next 15 to 20 years and this bridge will set the stage for that."
This is just one of 24 new construction projects the province has planned for the summer. Here's a breakdown:
- Bridge repairs on Highway 400 at Highway 93, Oro-Medonte, Line 4, Partridge Ski Trail Road and Willow Creek
- Repaving of Highway 400 between Langstaff Road and Major Mackenzie Drive
- Bridge replacement at Holland Canal and Highway 9
- Repaving of Highway 9 between Tottenham Road and Regional Road 50
- Repaving of Highway 48 between Aurora Road and Regional Road 9
The construction means drivers will have to deal with lane closures and a longer commute this summer.
The province plans to mitigate any congestion by only allowing single lane closures during off-peak hours
