Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is moving ahead with the eastern section of Highway 413 and an extension of Highway 427, issuing a notice seeking companies to design and build the new highways.
The work will cover about one-third of the Highway 413 corridor. The province says the contract, once awarded, is expected to be the largest infrastructure contract ever issued by the Ministry of Transportation.
Ontario plans to issue a request for proposals later this fall for the design and construction of the eastern section of Highway 413, which will run from Highway 400 to west of The Gore Road.
The project will also include extending Highway 427 north from Major Mackenzie Drive to Highway 413.
The province says the new highways are intended to reduce congestion and improve transportation in one of the fastest-growing parts of the Greater Toronto Area.
“Highway 413 is a critical, generational investment in the GTA’s transportation network, providing much-needed capacity and connectivity to support continued growth across the region,” said Nadia Todorova, executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO).
RCCAO has supported Highway 413 since it was first proposed, she said, adding that the latest step will help provide infrastructure needed to keep people and goods moving.
Ontario is also moving ahead with the central section of Highway 413, including a 9.1-kilometre extension of Highway 410.
The extension will connect Highway 410 with Highway 413 and provide easier access to Highway 407 ETR, Highway 401 and Highway 403, as well as communities including Burlington, Hamilton, Brantford and Woodstock.
Infrastructure Partners of Ontario, a joint venture of Miller Paving, GIP and Amico, has been awarded the contract to manage construction of the Highway 410 Extension.
Parsons Inc. and Egis Canada Ltd. were awarded the detailed design contract for the central section in June, while 413 Continuity Partners, a joint venture of AECOM and WSP, was selected in July to oversee the overall Highway 413 program.
Once completed, Highway 413 is expected to have 11 interchanges with local roads. Ontario says it could cut some trips by as much as 30 minutes and handle up to 300,000 vehicles a day.
The province says the highway will also help reduce traffic on existing 400-series highways in Toronto, Halton, Peel and York regions.
Peter Smith, executive director of the Heavy Construction Association of Toronto, said the project is being built in stages to keep work moving forward.
“The northwestern ring of the 905 region is one of the fastest growing areas of the Province,” Smith said. “The Ford government recognizes the need to start building transportation systems now to avoid serious congestion in the near future.”
Smith said breaking the project into sections will also provide work for Ontario construction companies and their employees.
Ontario says it is investing $31 billion in highways, roads and bridges across the province, including Highway 413, the Bradford Bypass and the Garden City Skyway twin bridge.
