Simcoe County has plans to widen County Road 4/Yonge Street between Bradford and the Barrie city limits from two to four lanes.
Phase 1 of the project was slated to take place along the stretch of road from just north of the Bradford town limits to County Road 89 in Innisfil, but there have been delays and changes to the plans.
In its December meeting, Innisfil's heritage advisory committee asked for an update and called on town staff to engage with the county to hold a public information session — in person or virtual, as deemed appropriate — for residents and property owners along Yonge Street to inform residents of the project's progress.
The committee recommendation was received in the Jan. 12 meeting of Innisfil council when Mayor Lynn Dollin suggested that rather than a public information session, the county should be invited to address council and engage with the town.
In fact, the county has already planned a virtual session this February to answer questions and provide an update.
The original notice issued by the county in November 2020 indicated the project will see the widening of County Road 4 from just north of Line 8 in Bradford West Gwillimbury, to 300 metres north of County Road 89 in Innisfil, in three phases — with Phase 1 widening Yonge between a point 200 metres north of Line 8 Bradford and just south of Line 11.
Tree-cutting, fencing and utility relocation were to be completed by the end of 2021.
However, the limits of Phase 1 have now been revised “due to the advancement of the Ministry of Transportation’s Bradford Bypass,” explained Julie Scruton, the county's manager of transportation construction.
“The new Phase 1 limits are now approximately 300 metres south of Line 9 Bradford West Gwillimbury to 400 metres south of Line 11,” Scruton said, adding the MTO will handle the widening of County Road 4 between Lines 8 and 9 as part of the “early works” for the bypass project.
Timing has also changed. While tree removal and fencing have been completed, Scruton said the ongoing COVID pandemic led to delays in the relocation of the utilities.
“These utility relocations within Phase 1 are expected to commence in late January 2022,” she stated, with the tender release for the construction project “anticipated in late spring/early summer of 2022.”
Scruton noted there's a further cause for delaying the start of construction related to questions raised by the Innisfil heritage committee, which is a need to complete a Stage 4 archaeological assessment and report for the project.
A Stage 3 archaeological assessment of several properties, completed in late 2021, was submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. It was flagged for further investigation.
“Stage 4 archaeological assessments are required and will be completed this spring when ground conditions permit the field work,” Scruton said. “Some of the utility relocations may be impacted by the Stage 4 archaeological assessments. Construction cannot commence until the Stage 4 archaeological assessment and the utility relocations have been completed, and therefore no start date for construction has yet been established.”
The timing of Phase 2 (Line 11 to Line 13 Bradford West Gwillimbury) and Phase 3 (Line 13 to north of County Road 89) will depend on budget and other considerations.
Scruton noted County Road 4 is not the only project on the books this year.
“The county is committed to investing in maintaining and enhancing our road networks to meet our continued growth,” she said. “Our 2022 budget includes $28.8 million for transportation and road maintenance, and we are scheduled to rehabilitate around 60 kilometres of road, as well as working on several major multi-year projects, on County Roads 4, 21, 27 and 93.”
As for the future phases of the County Road 4 widening, she had further assurances for the Innisfil heritage advisory committee, relating to the preservation of heritage buildings.
“The proposed intersection improvements in Churchill, at County Road 4 and Line 4 Innisfil, will be completed within the existing county right-of-way. Heritage buildings adjacent to County Road 4 will not be impacted by the road construction,” she said.
Scruton insisted there is sufficient room to widen County Road 4 from two to four lanes, “with one shared through/left-turn lane and one shared through/right-turn lane at the intersection.”
The virtual public information session will be launched by the county in early February.
