After some delay, construction on the Ontario Street Bridge in Grand Bend is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, September 3.
The Municipality of Lambton Shores said the bridge replacement and widening project will span approximately two years, but will be split into two phases.
The first phase is expected to be completed by June 15, 2025. Construction will pause during the busy summer months and phase two is slated to begin in September 2025.
Full bridge closures and major detours are not anticipated.
Ontario Street will remain open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic, however, the municipality said motorists should expect lane closures and delays during the construction periods.
"The municipality reminds the public to obey signage and leave extra time when travelling through the project area," read a media release. "The municipality thanks all residents and business owners for their patience and understanding as investments are made to create a more efficient and safer Ontario Street corridor in Grand Bend."
Plans for the bridge include additional traffic lanes to help with traffic congestion at the intersection of Highway 21 (Ontario Street) and Main Street, as well as multi-use paths on either side of Ontario Street.
Work on the bridge was initially expected to take place in 2022, after the underground infrastructure in the area of Ontario Street and Main Street was replaced, but the project was postponed to 2024.
The bridge project is expected to cost $7.64 million.
Lambton Shores council awarded the contract to Mclean Taylor Construction during its meeting August 13.
The project previously received $4.8 million from the province in 2021, which partially funded engineering and design work.
The municipality said the balance was returned to the province, and in May 2024, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) announced $5 million in funding to support the construction project through the Connecting Links program.
The MTO funding will be received in installments as the project progresses.
