Highway 7 - Kitchener to Guelph

[ZEBuilder]

Another delay extends horizon for a new Highway 7 from Kitchener to Guelph; replacement of the Frederick Street bridge won’t conclude until 2027, province now says

The new highway requires the replacement of the Frederick Street bridge that spans the Highway 7/85 expressway in Kitchener. Ontario first advertised for contractors in 2021, but never awarded the job.

Ontario revived the project in 2023 with a public notice that anticipated demolition and replacement of the bridge in 2024.

The province now says bridge replacement won’t start until 2025 and won’t conclude until 2027.

A lot of this comes down to the utilities that have to be moved for the new bridge, Bell and Rogers both had utility ducts on the bridge, Rogers utilized their existing ducts elsewhere, Bell tunneled under the highway at the Edna/Bruce St ramps which happened this summer. You also have a sanitary force main (500mm) that needs to be relocated, the city has it scheduled to start in September, the contract has been awarded but I haven't been over there recently to see if construction is actually happening. The project includes full reconstruction (new force main to replace the existing in the bridge footprint, new local sanitary, and new watermain). 

Certainly the city could have gotten this done earlier but unless someone here works for the city no one will really know why.