Ontario Construction News staff writer
Last week marked the beginning of construction on the Wenige Expressway Bridge located on Highbury Avenue, south of Hamilton Road in London.
Work on the rehabilitation project follows Council’s approval of seven contracts for critical infrastructure work and the provincial government’s confirmation that construction projects that are either required to ensure safe and reliable operations or provide new capacity in critical infrastructure remain an essential service.
The city, in partnership with its consultants and contractors, will be closely monitoring construction site conditions to ensure projects are compliant with COVID-19 measures recommended by local, provincial and federal health officials.
The city retained Parsons Consulting Ltd. to design the project and for reviewing options for rehabilitating Highbury Avenue South from Highway 401 to the Wenige Expressway Bridge in 2021/2022. Originally constructed in the early 1960’s, this roadway is nearing the end of its service life.
This corridor will be separated into three construction phases: Wenige Expressway Bridge (Phase 1), Highbury Avenue South-south portion (Phase 2A) and Highbury Avenue South-north portion (Phase 2B).
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in both directions for the duration of construction, using temporary median crossovers. During the winter months, the road is anticipated to be fully operational.
Proposed Work Details:
Phase one, currently underway is expected to last until May, 2021. Phase 1 will consist of the following work:
- Bridge rehabilitation including:
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- Complete deck replacement and widening of the structure to accommodate widened road structure (4 x 3.6m lanes plus shoulders and barriers) complete with waterproofing
- Recoating of structural steel
- Abutment improvements
- Drainage improvements; and
- New street lighting
- Removal and replacement of median barrier and street lights from south of Hamilton Road to south of the Thames River
- Construction of a new section of the Thames Valley Pathway under the south abutment;
Phase 2 Proposed Work Details:
Highbury Avenue South rehabilitations (Phase 2) is tentatively scheduled to start in 2021, last two years and will include:
- Complete road reconstruction of Highbury Avenue South from the Wenige Expressway Bridge to Highway 401
- Localized culvert replacements
Council approved the $8.8-million plan to fix the aging bridge, one of many spans in London that are expected to require major work over the next few years.
The Wenige Expressway Bridge, located just south of Hamilton Road, was built in 1965.
It crosses the south branch of the Thames River and its four lanes of traffic are used by about 48,000 vehicles a day, including commercial trucks entering and leaving the city and connecting to Highway 401.
“At roughly 55 years of age, with heavy traffic loading, this bridge is due for a major rehabilitation,” reads a report prepared by city hall staff.
The bridge rehab is a step in the city’s multi-decade plan to address the infrastructure gap across the city – which staff pegged at $530 million during this year’s budget deliberations, the London Free Press reported.