GUELPH – Construction is set to begin this fall on the Highway 6/Hanlon Expressway Midblock Exchange, a new interchange on the expressway portion of Highway 6.
In a Sept. 13 update to the Wellington County roads committee, county engineer Don Kudo explained the main components of the project impacting county roads include:
- a new interchange on the Hanlon Expressway north of Wellington Road 34, including a new road to connect the interchange to Concession Road 7 and to Wellington Road 34;
- removal of the signalized intersection on the Hanlon Expressway at Wellington Road 34 and the addition of a new bridge over the expressway for Wellington Road 34 traffic;
- reconstruction of Concession Road 7 between Wellington Road 34 and Maltby Road;
- closure of the Maltby Road/Concession Road 4 intersection with the Hanlon Expressway; and
- a new roundabout at the Wellington Road 34 and Concession Road 7 intersection.
A report to the committee from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation project team notes the first stage of the project, designed to improve traffic flow between Guelph and Hamilton, included the replacement of the Concession Road 7 bridge over Highway 401 and was completed in 2020.
The second stage includes the Class Environmental Assessment (EA), detailed design and construction of the Highway 6 / Hanlon Expressway Midblock Interchange, just north of Highway 401.
The design-build contract for Phase 2 was awarded to Dufferin Construction earlier this year. WSP Canada Inc. is the designer for the project.
The report indicates phase two of construction is expected to be completed in 2024.
This is the second of three stages in the long-awaited Morriston bypass project.
Roads committee chair Andy Lennox told county council at the Sept. 29 meeting he found the presentation “gave me a better understanding of what’s intended to happen there and the impact on our county roads and local roads.
“There will be more changes by the time the Morriston bypass is in place … there will be lots more changes to where the traffic flows and I think we’re going to have to learn how to adapt to that as time passes,” said Lennox.
Council accepted the report as information.
