Summer of construction well underway in Barrie
The summer of construction is well underway in Barrie, and a new project may cause some congestion.
According to the City of Barrie, Mapleview Drive East from Madeleine Drive to Yonge Street will undergo construction this month.
“The contractor will be working around August 9th, and it will impact traffic to one lane from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and after 7 p.m., and on weekends, it will be back to two lanes of traffic,” says Tawnya Gurchin, the city’s manager of development and special projects.
The city is warning drivers that the work may cause significant traffic, and its encouraging motorists to use alternative routes.
According to the city, Barrie Transit route 8 will be on detour for the duration of the project.
“The project will be completed in three years,” said Gurchin.
Once completed, the project is intended to increase the traffic capacity, improve the efficiency of both the sanitary and watermain infrastructure and enhance the storm sewer runoff quality, said the city.
This is just one of several projects taking place this summer in Barrie.
The city says the Belle Farm road reconstruction project, which is intended to widen the road from St. Vincent Street to Duckworth Street, is on schedule.
“It is phased over two years, and the contractor is on the section between St. Vincent Street and Alliance Blvd., east, which is across from Mom’s restaurant,” said Adam Kiley, the manager of linear infrastructure projects for the city of Barrie.
Kiley hopes to have the road open to traffic by Labour Day.
Another project the city is tending to is the watermain replacement on Blake Street, and the city said it is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2021.
The Anne Street Bridge replacement project has been underway since May, and for families living near downtown Barrie, they are raising concerns that their neighbourhoods have become unofficial detours.
On Tuesday, Graham and Wendy Harkness, who live on Henry Street, said they moved to Barrie from Toronto to escape the traffic and noise, but things on their once quiet street have changed in recent months.
“When he hit here, he was doing 70 to 80 km/h in a little Honda,” said Graham Harkness.
“With no stop streets, it has become Indy 500,” said his wife, Wendy.
The Harkness family said that many drivers have cut through Henry Street using excessive speeds, with the bridge closed to traffic.
“There’s nothing to let them know, and that’s why the traffic just has a hay day,” said Harkness.
There is a single speed bump on Henry street, but it doesn’t appear to be slowing down some drivers.
The city told CTV News Barrie that the bridge replacement is a Ministry of Transportation project, but they will look into additional safety measures on Henry Street.
“We will review that. That’s the first time we’ve heard of complaints, but if required, we will implement more safety measures,” said Gurchin.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.