So it begins.
A four-year, $120 million project to replace the Dunlop Street bridge over Highway 400 in Barrie.
The province says the work is necessary to accommodate the future widening of the highway to 10 lanes through the city.
Work will also be done to widen Dunlop Street between the Highway 400 interchange ramps.
The bridge work is expected to be completed in November 2028.
"Replacing the Dunlop Street bridge is a crucial step in widening Highway 400 near Barrie, which will reduce gridlock and save time for the more than 100,000 drivers who rely on this stretch of highway every day," stated Ric Bresee, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation, in a news release.
The bridge replacement is not the first the city has seen over the past few years.
"This bridge (Dunlop), along with the Anne Street bridge, the Sunnidale bridge and the bridges at Lines 3, 5,7 and 9 in Oro-Medonte are all part of the plan to repair, replace and expand bridges and roadways across the province to help support Ontario's economy," said Doug Downey, MPP for Barrie-Springwater-Oro-Medonte, in the new release.
The news release quoted Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall as saying the replacement of the Dunlop bridge will reduce gridlock, improve travel times and make it easier for residents to get around the city.
The province says the Dunlop project will create 500 good-paying jobs during construction.
In January, the Ontario government announced work had been completed to widen nine kilometres of Highway 400 from Major Mackenzie Drive to King Road in Vaughan.
The scope of the Dunlop project includes:
- Replacing the existing Dunlop Street underpass at Highway 400;
- Lengthening the Dunlop Street underpass to accommodate future widening of Highway 400 to 10 lanes;
- Widening Dunlop Street bridge to accommodate City of Barrie request.
- Highway 400 pavement rehabilitation from south of Dunlop Street to south of Anne Street.
- Re-configuration of the Highway 400 and Dunlop Street interchange, including on-ramps, off-ramps, and intersections.
- Installing a noise wall at the previously approved northbound on-ramp.
- Replacement of two culverts under Highway 400 and various culverts within the Dunlop Street interchange.
- Replacing median storm sewer and median barrier within Highway 400 reconstruction limits.
