The City of Ottawa has announced that all lanes of Highway 417 are expected to reopen in less than 10 days, according to a memo addressed to city councillors. Richard Holder, director of the Rail Construction Program for the Transit Services Department, stated on Saturday, June 13, that the highway's lanes would be fully restored as early as Monday, June 22.
Accelerated Construction Ahead of Schedule
The memo highlighted that good progress has been made on the project to construct signage foundations in the median near the Pinecrest/Greenbank Road overpass on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation. Work is reportedly five weeks ahead of the original schedule.
“We recognize this project has caused significant delays and appreciate the patience of Ottawa residents and motorists while we complete this work as quickly as possible,” the memo read.
Overnight Lane Reductions Required
To meet the June 22 target, Highway 417 will be reduced to one lane in the area overnight on Saturday, June 20, and Sunday, June 21. The city advises that this work is weather-dependent.
To promote public awareness of the overnight impacts, the city will deploy signage, social-media alerts, and a public service announcement.
Mayor Applauds Progress
In a social-media post, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe described the update as “very good news.” He acknowledged the frustration drivers in the west end have faced due to lane closures and construction.
“I asked for the project to be significantly accelerated so we could reduce disruption and get relief for commuters as quickly as possible. I’m pleased to see staff have followed through on my request,” Sutcliffe wrote.
