It never hurts to ask.
City council has approved a motion that staff consult with the Ontario Transportation Ministry (MTO) Sunnidale Road project team to determine the project and cost implications of upgrading the proposed active transportation infrastructure there to include sidewalks on both sides of the bridge, as well as separated cycling lanes. They would then report back to Barrie councillors.
The MTO has said the replaced Sunnidale Road bridge will be two lanes, with a sidewalk on the north side of the bridge, and widened to accommodate the future widening to 10 lanes of Highway 400.
The ministry is in the process of competing its detail design and class environmental study to replace the Sunnidale Road bridge.
There is no cost estimate at this time for the new bridge, although the city’s capital budget contains $3.9 million for the project.
It includes pavement resurfacing for Highway 400 from south of Sunnidale Road to north of Bayfield Street, including its roadway and ramps, median replacement, drainage improvements and an extension of the Kidd’s Creek culvert.
The MTO says construction of the Sunnidale Road bridge replacement is anticipated to begin in 2023-24, but the timing of its projects is subject to change, based on funding, planning approvals, design, property acquisition and construction requirements. Utility relocations and any other preparatory works will begin in advance of construction.
This work is being done as part of the ministry’s highway rehabilitation program, but the MTO doesn’t release internal estimates for future construction projects to maintain the integrity of the tendering process.
Who pays what — province or city — will be determined during the ongoing detail design phase, according to the MTO.
The MTO has acquired five properties with homes that will require demolition for this project. They are located at 80, 84, 87, 49 and 54 Sunnidale Rd.
BarrieToday asked what was paid, in total, for those properties.
“The Ministry of Transportation agreements with property owners are considered confidential,” said Simi Ikotun, the MTO’s issues management co-ordinator. “As such, the ministry is unable to provide the total amount paid for the five properties.”
Ikotun did say there are various properties in the area that are impacted by the Sunnidale Road bridge replacement project and they also include 41, 44, 45, 53 and 91 Sunnidale Rd.
“In addition, there are properties in the area owned by the City of Barrie which are also impacted,” said Ikotun.
This project dates back to 2004, when studies identified needed improvements to Highway 400 from one kilometre south of Highway 89 to the junction at Highway 11 to handle future traffic.
More studies in 2017 found that widening the 400 to 10 from six lanes was needed to handle future traffic growth.
New Highway 400 bridge construction will accommodate its future widening to 10 lanes, although provincial funding for the future widening of Highway 400 has not been approved, the MTO has said.
The MTO demolished Barrie’s Anne Street bridge over Highway 400 in early June in order to build a replacement. The bridge closure is anticipated to last approximately 18 months, until November 2022. This construction includes significant roadwork on the 400, from Dunlop Street to St. Vincent Street.
The MTO is currently involved, at various stages, in the replacement of three Highway 400 bridges - at Anne Street, Dunlop Street and Sunnidale Road.
For more information visit highway400dunlopannesunnidale.
