Ontario premier announces construction on bridge project
The entire bypass project is expect to cut times for commuters and support thousands of jobs.
Drivers pass by the Bradford Bypass project site. – Government of Ontario
Key Takeaways:
- The Bradford Bypass is a new four-lane freeway that will connect Highway 400 and Highway 404 in Simcoe County and York Region.
- During the construction period, the Bradford Bypass is expected to contribute $274 million in annual real GDP and support 2,640 jobs per year on average in the transportation, engineering, construction and supply-chain industries.
- Motorists and commercial truck drivers are expected to up to 35 minutes per trip compared to other routes.
The Whole Story:
Ontario announced construction has begun on a bridge crossing over the future Bradford Bypass.
Ontario officials called it a milestone in the province’s plan to relieve gridlock, create jobs and connect communities in the rapidly-growing Greater Golden Horseshoe.
“Our government will be relentless in delivering on our ambitious plan to build the much needed infrastructure that our growing province needs,” said Premier Doug Ford. “Building the Bradford Bypass is a key part of our plan to fight gridlock in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, helping commuters spend less time in traffic while creating good paying jobs for the people of this region.”
Earlier this year, Brennan Paving & Construction Ltd. was awarded the contract to design and construct the new bridge which will allow County of Simcoe Road 4 (Yonge Street) between 8th Line and 9th Line to cross over the future Bradford Bypass. The project will also include widening County Road 4 from two to four lanes.
“Gridlock makes life harder for Ontario businesses and farmers who rely on a strong highway network to get their goods to market quickly,” said Caroline Mulroney, minister of transportation. “This important milestone brings us another step closer to getting the Bradford Bypass built, improving economic productivity and eliminating the gridlock that hurts us all.”
To promote efficiencies between the Bradford Bypass project and the County of Simcoe’s planned expansion work on County Road 4, an agreement is in place to better coordinate the construction approach, which the province says will save taxpayer dollars and optimize the work required to improve gridlock and reduce the risk of construction delays.
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) said it was very pleased by the news.
“This bypass is needed and welcomed by the road building industry as more than $785 million of goods per day move on Ontario’s highways, making the transportation system the backbone of our export-driven economy,” said Kevin Machej, ORBA president.
Machej added that the Bradford Bypass will relieve congestion on existing east-west roads in Bradford and provide a northern connection between Highway 400 and Highway 404, saving time and reducing greenhouse gasses.
“The Bypass will significantly contribute to Ontario’s growing economy by creating jobs during construction, connecting people to major employment areas and attracting more businesses to the region,” he said.
A project specific assessment of environmental impacts in accordance with Ontario Regulation 697/21 for the project is currently underway and is expected to be completed in 2023.
In 2022-23, Ontario is investing $3 billion to expand and repair provincial highways, roads and bridges, including over $761 million to expand the province’s highways and bridges, and more than $1.5 billion for rehabilitation projects.
