Steve Hardaker
Community Correspondent – Glendale
 
The Ministry of Transportation is working in partnership with Niagara Region on a major road construction project in Glendale that will provide a unique experience to those travelling into Niagara-on-the-Lake.
 
The $53.8 million project will replace the current Glendale Avenue overpass over the QEW with a diverging diamond interchange. 
 
The ministry has awarded the contract to Brennan Paving and Construction Ltd., with Morrison Hershfield providing design support. The project is in the design phase, which is expected to conclude by the spring of 2021.
 
Three levels of government – provincial, regional and municipal – are funding the project, which will be the first of its kind for any highway in Ontario and only the third diverging diamond interchange in Canada.
 
The other two are in Calgary and Regina, and a second for Ontario is also planned in Barrie.
 
In a response to a question as to why the province chose the diverging diamond interchange over other configurations, Astrid Poei, communications co-ordinator for the ministry stated: “In fall 2017, MTO initiated an environmental assessment and preliminary design study for improvements at the QEW/Glendale Avenue interchange in Niagara-on-the-Lake.”
 
“Through this study, several interchange alternatives were identified and evaluated using a number of different environmental factors and criteria with respect to the socioeconomic, cultural and natural environments. Also considered were future transportation needs and traffic operations, in conjunction with safety.”   
  
“The diverging diamond interchange met these criteria, considering engineering factors and cost.”
   
According to project documentation,  the interchange will reduce “vehicle conflict points along with allowing unrestricted turning movements.”
 
The interchange will allow traffic to enter or exit the QEW without having to turn through lanes of oncoming traffic, lowering the number of potential vehicle conflict points thus making it safer for vehicles occupants.
 
A shared four-metre-wide pedestrian and cycling path will also run through the middle of the bridge structure with dedicated signal crossings at each end. 
 
“Pedestrians/cyclists are accommodated via this multiuse path and there are fewer vehicle/pedestrian crossing points,” according to project documents.
 
There will also be a new commuter carpool lot created in the northwest quadrant of the interchange, providing opportunities for car sharing and future GO Transit for people travelling toward the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area for work. 
 
Another component of the project will see a new single-lane roundabout constructed at the intersection of Glendale Avenue and York Road providing unrestricted right-turn movement of traffic. 
 
A third element of the project will be the construction of a new road connection from Glendale Avenue to Airport Road. 
 
The connection will first loop around from northbound Glendale Avenue under the new bridge structure just north of the interchange then connect to the intersection of Airport Road and York Road, thus providing a more direct route to the historic Old Town tourist area. 
 
There will also be lane modifications on Glendale Avenue westbound from Taylor Road to Niagara on the Green Boulevard, as well as on the QEW between Highway 405 and the base of the Garden City Skyway.
 
The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake will contribute money for the streetscaping, including landscaping and irrigation within the roundabout and decorative LED lighting on the overpass.
 
The province has committed to fund 80 per cent of the cost of the project. Niagara Region was unable to provide the funding it will supply.
 
In an emailed statement, Regional Coun. Gary Zalepa said the amount required from the region “is not in final form. The MTO project has several adjustments that require reworking” and the region expects a more precise amount will be available soon.
 
The town has so far committed to contributing $334,300 to the regional total.
 
The construction phase will start immediately after the design is finished next spring and will be done in five separate stages. The interchange is expected to open in late 2022 and the project will be completed by late 2023. 
 
During the construction phase, the existing overpass and interchange will continue to be used before being demolished when the diverging diamond interchange is ready for use in 2022.
 
A public education session is planned for the fall of 2022, just before the new interchange is opened.
 
With this aggressive schedule, the town has granted the ministry a temporary exemption from its noise bylaw in order to permit construction to continue overnight and on Sundays.
 
With this QEW interchange being the only one for visitors accessing Niagara-on-the-Lake, the completion of this unique project will provide for a new gateway into the town. 
 
* Steve Hardaker has lived in Glendale for 10 years and is active in many community organizations.