Design contracts awarded for Bradford Bypass project

Key Takeaways:

• Ontario has awarded detail design contracts for the central and east sections of the Bradford Bypass, with WSP and Stantec leading design and Jacobs and Egis overseeing program management.
• The 16.3-kilometre highway is expected to cut travel times by 35 minutes, support over 2,200 jobs per year and add $286 million annually to Ontario’s GDP.
• Design work includes field studies, Indigenous consultation and utility coordination, while construction continues on the west section under new legislation that accelerates priority highway projects.

The Whole Story:

The Ontario government has awarded detail design contracts for the central and east sections of the Bradford Bypass, a 16.3-kilometre, four-lane highway project that will connect Highway 404 in the east to Highway 400 in the west through York Region and Simcoe County.

WSP Canada Inc. and Stantec Consulting Ltd. received the design contracts. Jacobs Consultancy Canada Inc. and Egis Canada Ltd. were awarded the program management consultant contract to oversee design, quality assurance, schedule and construction oversight for the full project.

The province estimates the completed highway will reduce travel times by 35 minutes compared to using local roads and will support more than 2,200 jobs per year while contributing $286 million annually to Ontario’s gross domestic product.

“Our government is protecting Ontario by making historic investments in highway infrastructure that will strengthen the economy in the face of U.S. tariffs and global economic uncertainty,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation, in a news release. “The Bradford Bypass will cut gridlock, shorten commute times, strengthen east-west connections between Highways 400 and 404 and keep people and goods moving through one of the fastest growing parts of the Greater Golden Horseshoe.”

Design work will include field studies, consultation with Indigenous communities, coordination of utility relocations and finalization of the two sections’ designs. The province said crews have already completed tree clearing along the proposed route to streamline utility relocations.

Work is also underway on the west section, where the province awarded detail design and construction manager contracts last year. A temporary detour at 10 Sideroad is under construction to support a future bridge and interchange. Additionally, work continues on a southbound lane on Highway 400 that will connect to the Bradford Bypass.

“Today’s announcement builds on our substantial progress to-date to get shovels in the ground and finally make this project a reality for our region,” said Caroline Mulroney, MPP for York-Simcoe, in the release.

The ​Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, 2024​ received Royal Assent in November 2024, allowing the province to accelerate construction of priority highway projects including the Bradford Bypass, Highway 413 and the Garden City Skyway bridge-twinning project.