The Highway 400 underpass at Innisfil Beach Road (IBR) has reopened to traffic.
However, it’s still unclear why a crash that closed this stretch of roadway for more than a week occurred in the first place.
The section of IBR and affected ramps reopened on Feb. 3, after being closed Jan. 24 for what the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) deemed “emergency roadwork” when an excavator struck and damaged the bridge. The vehicle did not remain on scene.
“MTO anticipates that the repair work will take several weeks to complete, but (IBR) will remain open to traffic throughout construction,” ministry spokesperson Tanya Blazina said Feb. 4.
The bridge was inspected by structural engineers following the incident; they found localized concrete damage to three girders.
South Simcoe police spokesperson Samah Othman said the department is looking into the crash.
“This incident is still under investigation,” she said.
The damage does not affect vehicles travelling on the 400, the MTO says.
This area already has a lengthy recent history of construction work, as part of the ministry's plan to replace the 400 bridges at IBR and the nearby Barrie Collingwood Railway corridor, and reconstruct both the IBR interchange and the existing six-lane 400 mainline. Drainage and illumination improvements are also planned for the area.
Construction on the overall project began in April 2022, though planning for it has stretched back decades.
This entire reconstruction project — tendered at $83.2 million — is scheduled for a 2025 completion, MTO says.
The MTO "does not anticipate any delays to the completion of this project due to the required repairs," Blazina said.
Travellers can visit 511on.ca or find the @511Ontario social-media accounts for updates on local roadwork and its implications on traffic.
More details on the overall reconstruction project can be found at innisfil.ca.