Highway work wrapping up for winter

The forecast may be calling for snow, but drivers can take some solace — the end of construction season is nearing.

Some major highway projects that have diverted and frustrated St. Catharines drivers will wrap up in the coming weeks. Some of the work will be done for good while other projects will resume in the spring.

The Ministry of Transportation said several ramps along the QEW corridor in St. Catharines are expected to re-open to traffic by mid-December, weather permitting.

They include the Ontario Street on-ramp to the QEW Toronto-bound, Highway 406 north on-ramp to QEW Fort Erie-bound and the South Service Road onramp at Martindale Road to QEW Fort Erie-bound.

MTO spokesperson Katrina Lalor said in an email the same ramps will close again in May 2019 until work is completed that fall.

The work, which began in April, involves the rehabilitation of several bridges along the highway in St. Catharines and Lincoln, including Henley, Fifteen Mile Creek, Sixteen Mile Creek and culverts east and west of Victoria Avenue.

Ramps at Victoria Avenue and Jordan Road in Lincoln that were closed because of the rehabilitation of Fifteen and Sixteen Mile Creek bridges will also re-open in mid-November, along with some lanes that were reduced on the QEW. Construction will resume in the spring and be done in summer.

In downtown St. Catharines, work on the Westchester Avenue bridge over Highway 406 that started in May will continue until December. It will begin again in April 2019 and finish up in November. The MTO is planning rehabilitation for bridges at Westchester Crescent, Westchester Avenue and Twelve Mile Creek next year.

In Thorold, things are about to get back to normal on St. David’s Road where a relocation project has been ongoing.

The Highway 406 north ramp on St. David’s is expected to be opened on Nov. 17. The St. David’s Road West ramp to Highway 58 south will also be opened that day.

Work on the Highway 406 un-

derpass at St. David’s Road is scheduled to be done by Dec. 18. Pedestrian access that is currently on the south side of the road and includes detours around the construction will be located on the north side after that date.

The ministry isn’t the only authority wrapping up major projects for the winter.

The city has just completed its watermain replacement on busy Glendale Avenue from Jacobson to Glenridge.

Dan Dillon, city director of transportation and environmental services, said there are a few more watermain replacements underway, including on Park and Greenwood avenues.

Niagara Region and city’s downtown two-way conversation is also ongoing.

Enbridge Gas is working at the intersection of Geneva and Church streets until the end of November to replace a valve and a contractor will be on site into December.

The project will pick up again in the spring and will include the Geneva and St. Paul streets fivepoint intersection section.

“Is this the end of construction season? For us, it never really ends,” Dillon said.

“It just kind of evolves into new projects.”