The long-anticipated Harvie Road bridge over Highway 400 in Barrie is now open and construction has started on the Anne Street bridge replacement. What’s next for the Highway 400 corridor in the region?
Actually, several major overpasses in the City of Barrie are set for overhauls and the City of Barrie and Ministry of Transportation are planning to spend tens of millions of dollars to upgrade crossings at Dunlop Street and McKay, Essa and Sunnidale roads.
Planned construction projects will eventually allow for the widening of the highway – necessary to accommodate growth as the city more than doubles to 298,000 by 2051 from 141,000 in 2016.
With that growth in mind, the city and province are developing transportation strategies, including:
McKay Road
- Reconstructed bridge was built to easily accommodate an interchange. The design phase began in 2019 and the city is acquiring land with plans to start construction by 2029.
Essa Road
- A detailed design for overpass replacement and interchange reconstruction started in 2019. Construction is expected to begin next year.
Dunlop Street
- Detailed design currently underway for bridge replacement and interchange reconstruction along Dunlop Street, from Anne Street to Ferndale Drive. Plans include widening Dunlop Street to three lanes in each direction through area. Construction scheduled to begin in 2024 or 2025.
Sunnidale Road
- Underpass project currently in the design phase.
John Devine