Highway 7 - Kitchener to Guelph

[Drake]

Initial work on new Kitchener-Guelph Hwy. 7 to start in June
May 30, 2015 | Paige Desmond | Waterloo Region Record | Link

KITCHENER — The Ministry of Transportation is moving ahead with a new Highway 7 between Guelph and Kitchener and expects some advance construction underway this summer.

Bob Bakalarczyk, a senior project engineer with the Ministry of Transportation, provided an update to Region of Waterloo politicians earlier this week, but a definitive completion date isn't certain.

"We have a target completion date of the whole project beyond 2018," he said.

Regional Chair Ken Seiling said he is optimistic that the long-awaited project is finally going ahead.

"I'm taking them at their word that they're starting this ASAP," Seiling said.

Planning for the current proposal started in 1989. A plan was approved by the province in 2007 and construction promise confirmed in 2012.

Seiling said the upgrade of the main route between Guelph and Kitchener is definitely needed.

"I think there's just too many accidents and it's been too long in coming, but they've made the commitment," he said.

About 26,000 cars travel the current Highway 7 every day.

Bakalarczyk said property acquisitions are complete and two main projects will start soon ahead of the 18-kilometre build. More than 80 pieces of property were needed along the route.

The Guelph Street overpass in Kitchener will be widened starting in June to eventually accept one of the ramps for the new highway.

Utility relocations will also take place on the Victoria Street bridge and will continue in 2016. In 2017, the bridge will be replaced and extended.

Also in 2016, Shirley Avenue will be realigned from Bingemans to the end of the Wellington Street intersection.

Detailed design for the advanced work is ongoing, along with traffic and noise modelling and archeological work.

"We also want to finalize the project phasing and the delivery model," Bakalarczyk said.

When completed, the highway will stretch from Highway 85 north of the Victoria Street exit to the Hanlon Expressway in Guelph, with exits planned for Shirley Avenue, Bridge Street, Ebycrest Road, Shantz Station Road and County Route 86 in between.

In 2007, the most recent information available, the cost of the new Highway 7 was estimated at about $300 million.