Essa Road drivers can quickly run out of road in the right lane after they cross Barrie’s Fairview Road.
The lane ends on Essa as the road heads northeast toward Anne Street, forcing drivers to merge left.
While there’s a sign in place now, motorists did notice their driving space had narrowed before the sign appeared.
“We’ve received some questions about the lane ending on Essa, just past Fairview,” said Coun. Jim Harris, who represents this part of Barrie.
The Ward 8 councillor said on this and other occasions throughout the Essa Road bridge reconstruction project, staff have communicated with Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO), which heads the bridge project, to make sure traffic moves as effectively and efficiently as possible — while the project moves through its many stages, which includes widening the Fairview intersection.
“The lane-ending sign is (now) on the right-hand side where the lane ends on Essa, after Fairview,” Harris said.
Michelle Banfield, Barrie's executive director of development services, said the MTO is responsible for traffic in this area while the construction project is underway.
“We have contacts at the MTO and we just pass comments (about concerns) on to our contacts there,” she said. “Most often these things do get corrected.
“Sometimes our residents notice things before city staff do or ministry staff do," Banfield added.
The MTO is constructing the new interchange at Essa Road and Highway 400, a project that includes significant roadwork on Highway 400, between Harvie Road and Tiffin Street, along with a widening of Essa Road to six lanes between Fairview Road and Bryne Drive/Ardagh Road.
As of Dec. 18, 2024, construction activities are suspended for the winter season. Construction operations are scheduled to resume in March 2025.
The construction contract’s value for the Essa Road bridge replacement project is $105.4 million. Costs are shared between MTO and the City of Barrie.
Work being done includes replacing the Highway 400 bridge at Essa Road to accommodate the future widening of Highway 400 to a 10-lane cross-section, widening Essa Road from four to six lanes between the Bryne Drive/Ardagh Road intersection, at the west end, and the Fairview Road intersection, at the east end, with the addition of a multi-use pathway on the north side of Essa Road.
The Highway 400/Essa Road interchange reconstruction includes the addition of a dedicated ramp from eastbound Essa Road to southbound Highway 400, and a new bridge to allow the ramp to cross the commercial access road in the southwest quadrant of the interchange.
There’s also the replacement of traffic signals at the new ramp terminals, storm sewer replacement, culvert extension, stormwater management measures, pavement rehabilitation and safety upgrades.
The project’s construction phase began in June 2022 and is anticipated to be completed by the fall of 2025.
