PUSLINCH – The recent release of a draft transportation plan for southwestern Ontario offers hope that the long-awaited Morriston bypass is still a possibility.
“We know that a safe, efficient and connected transportation network is the foundation for a healthy and prosperous Ontario,” said transportation minister Caroline Mulroney in a Jan. 17 report.
“Starting with southwestern Ontario, we are delivering on our promise to develop regional plans that will help build a better transportation system that will better serve individuals, families and workers.”
Plans for southwestern Ontario include more than 40 improvements and strategies across different modes of travel.
“We know our vision for southwestern Ontario will not be complete without the valuable input of local municipalities, businesses, Indigenous communities and the general public,” Mulroney said.
“That is why we are inviting everyone to participate in this process by sharing their feedback with us.”
Among the southwestern Ontario plans are:
– constructing a bypass around Morriston and upgrading the south end of Highway 6 in Guelph;
– widening Highway 401 from Waterloo Road 24 (Hespeler Road) easterly to Townline Road in Cambridge;
– replacing Grand River bridges on Highway 401 in Kitchener; and
– constructing a new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph.
The preliminary report, entitled Connecting the Southwest, is not fully costed and has no timelines for each initiative.
A full draft of the report is online at ontario.ca/page/connecting-southwest-draft-transportation-plan-southwestern-ontario.
The ministry is also seeking input through an online survey. The closing date for public input is March 17 with the ministry reporting back in May.
