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Senior Member
Hwy 8 gets expansion funding
June 16, 2009
Frances Barrick
RECORD STAFF
KITCHENER
Highway 8 commuters got good news yesterday: the federal and provincial governments have come through with $70 million to widen four kilometres of the congested highway over the Grand River in south Kitchener.
The first phase of the work -- a $115,000 project to remove endangered mussels in the river -- could begin as soon as Saturday.
Waterloo Region Chair Ken Seiling said yesterday that the targeted section of Highway 8 is "probably the most significant bottleneck in the region. . ."
The project will not only improve traffic flow between Cambridge and Kitchener-Waterloo, Seiling said, but will also boost rapid transit travel with the widening of road shoulders so Grand River Transit buses can use them to bypass traffic jams.
"This will have a huge, big impact for our region," he said.
IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE:
Widening to eight lanes from four one kilometre north of the Grand River to the King Street East interchange.
Widening to six lanes from four from the King Street East interchange south to Sportsworld Drive.
Repaving from Sportsworld Drive interchange to Highway 401.
Building a new twin bridge over the Grand River.
Repairing existing Grand River bridge, King Street interchange bridges, and the Sportsworld Drive interchange bridges.
Building bus bypass shoulders.
Building a concrete median barrier.
Installing highmast lighting.
Yesterday's announcement of the project's cost-sharing was made by Gary Goodyear, Cambridge MP and Minister of State for Science and Technology, and Jim Bradley, Ontario's Minister of Transportation. The event was held on Sportsworld Drive in Kitchener.
Each level of government will contribute a maximum of $35 million toward this project, which is the fourth and final phase of the Highway 8 improvements, Nichols said.
Bot Construction of Oakville has been awarded the $57.8 million contract to do the road work which is slated to take four years to complete, said Bob Nichols, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, which is overseeing the project.
Other expenses bring the project's total cost to $70 million, he said. This is below the latest estimated cost of $84 million.
The region has also agreed to spend up to $4.28 million to ease the problem of transit buses having to use detours to avoid stop-and-go traffic over the bridge. Shoulders normally three metres wide will be extended to 4.25 metres. Pavement will be thickened to support bus weight.
Bypass shoulders are not regular driving lanes and buses will be allowed on them only when traffic is backed up, Seiling said.
Commuters who travel Highway 8 during peak periods will certainly appreciate the road improvements, he said.
These improvements include:
Work is slated to begin later this month with the first task being the relocation of an endangered species of mussels at a cost of $115,000. Planners expect to find about 50 of these rare mollusks in the Grand River, where the new bridge will be built.
By law, they must be removed before heavy construction crushes them. They will be relocated to safe waters about 30 metres upstream.
Gerry Mackie, a retired University of Guelph professor who is overseeing the relocation of the mussels, said work could start Saturday, weather permitting. It could take 10 days to complete.
The work involves eight divers and five searchers in shallow waters looking for these mussels, he said.
fbarrick@therecord.com
June 16, 2009
Frances Barrick
RECORD STAFF
KITCHENER
Highway 8 commuters got good news yesterday: the federal and provincial governments have come through with $70 million to widen four kilometres of the congested highway over the Grand River in south Kitchener.
The first phase of the work -- a $115,000 project to remove endangered mussels in the river -- could begin as soon as Saturday.
Waterloo Region Chair Ken Seiling said yesterday that the targeted section of Highway 8 is "probably the most significant bottleneck in the region. . ."
The project will not only improve traffic flow between Cambridge and Kitchener-Waterloo, Seiling said, but will also boost rapid transit travel with the widening of road shoulders so Grand River Transit buses can use them to bypass traffic jams.
"This will have a huge, big impact for our region," he said.
IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE:
Widening to eight lanes from four one kilometre north of the Grand River to the King Street East interchange.
Widening to six lanes from four from the King Street East interchange south to Sportsworld Drive.
Repaving from Sportsworld Drive interchange to Highway 401.
Building a new twin bridge over the Grand River.
Repairing existing Grand River bridge, King Street interchange bridges, and the Sportsworld Drive interchange bridges.
Building bus bypass shoulders.
Building a concrete median barrier.
Installing highmast lighting.
Yesterday's announcement of the project's cost-sharing was made by Gary Goodyear, Cambridge MP and Minister of State for Science and Technology, and Jim Bradley, Ontario's Minister of Transportation. The event was held on Sportsworld Drive in Kitchener.
Each level of government will contribute a maximum of $35 million toward this project, which is the fourth and final phase of the Highway 8 improvements, Nichols said.
Bot Construction of Oakville has been awarded the $57.8 million contract to do the road work which is slated to take four years to complete, said Bob Nichols, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, which is overseeing the project.
Other expenses bring the project's total cost to $70 million, he said. This is below the latest estimated cost of $84 million.
The region has also agreed to spend up to $4.28 million to ease the problem of transit buses having to use detours to avoid stop-and-go traffic over the bridge. Shoulders normally three metres wide will be extended to 4.25 metres. Pavement will be thickened to support bus weight.
Bypass shoulders are not regular driving lanes and buses will be allowed on them only when traffic is backed up, Seiling said.
Commuters who travel Highway 8 during peak periods will certainly appreciate the road improvements, he said.
These improvements include:
Work is slated to begin later this month with the first task being the relocation of an endangered species of mussels at a cost of $115,000. Planners expect to find about 50 of these rare mollusks in the Grand River, where the new bridge will be built.
By law, they must be removed before heavy construction crushes them. They will be relocated to safe waters about 30 metres upstream.
Gerry Mackie, a retired University of Guelph professor who is overseeing the relocation of the mussels, said work could start Saturday, weather permitting. It could take 10 days to complete.
The work involves eight divers and five searchers in shallow waters looking for these mussels, he said.
fbarrick@therecord.com