Traffic: Major projects ahead for OC Transpo, Highway 417 overpass at Preston

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The western section of the OC Transpo Confederation Line will close for almost two weeks at the end of the month for “normal maintenance.”

OC Transpo says the line will be out between Tunney’s Pasture and Rideau stations from Monday, July 15, until Sunday, July 28. The line will offer normal operations in the eastern section between Blair and uOttawa stations.

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“For the upcoming summer track and maintenance work, the primary reason for this work is to advance corrective measures as well as address deficiencies that have been identified,” Troy Charter, director of transit service delivery and rail operations, told the City of Ottawa’s transit commission in June.

In addition to regular planned maintenance, staff say the operation will also include continuation of work addressing water infiltration in the downtown tunnel and station leaks and drainage repairs and sump pump installation at Lyon and Parliament stations.

OC Transpo will operate R1 replacement buses between Tunney’s Pasture and Hurdman stations during the shutdown.

The E1 Shuttle Express bus service that runs between Blair and Lyon stations will be expanded to all hours of the day.

Meanwhile, Highway 417 will once again be closed for about 82 hours beginning July 25 to allow for lifting out the aging bridge over Preston Street and lifting in a replacement structure.

There have been a number of replacement jobs on Highway 417, making them a bane of motorists, but popular among “sidewalk superintendents.”

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Contractors will begin the swap operation at about 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 25, and are hoping to complete the operation by 6 a.m. on Monday, July 29.

Highway 417 will close in both directions between the Carling Avenue and Metcalfe Street exit ramps.

Detour maps have yet to be provided, but more info on the project is available on the contractor’s webpage: https://hwy417bridgereplacements.ca/

Preston Street itself is up for some upgrades beginning at the end of July, with two projects on the go.

First, the street will be shut between St. Anthony and Young streets directly at the overpass starting at midnight on Wednesday, July 17. That project will extend one block north to Louisa Street at 8 p.m. on July 25.

The bridges are near the end of their lifespans, according to the contractor partnership’s website. This team previously replaced the bridges over Booth, Rochester and Percy streets, along with Bronson Avenue.

No other replacements are listed on the webpage. The team said it expected its work to be finished next year.

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