The long-planned twinning of the Garden City Skyway has gotten one step closer to reality, with the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake entering into an official agreement with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario this week to support the project.
A representative from the ministry was at town hall on Tuesday night during council’s monthly meeting and shared its plans to create a new, 2.2-kilometre twin bridges to connect NOTL to St. Catharines over the Welland Canal, just north of the existing bridge.
It would replace the current bridge, which was built 62 years ago and has undergone significant repairs over the years.
“It’s not possible to maintain the existing six lanes (on the current bridge) while replacing the existing bridge deck,” said project engineer Osarumen Aigbogun. “A new Garden City Skyway twin bridge is required.”
After his presentation, council discussed the details of the agreement with the province before voting in favour of entering into it.
The ministry’s current plans for the twin bridges are not final — what Aigbogun presented to council was a concept design.
“It creates a footprint to work with partners,” he said.
Aigbogun said the deadline to submit the bridge plans is January to March 2027, with the goal of starting construction in the spring of that year.
As part of the agreement, the town of NOTL is entitled to review and comment on all future design drawings, but can’t allow any construction to happen within the project limits until the bridges construction is completed.
Also part of the agreement is that the municipality will not pay for any part of the project, including its construction. The Queen Elizabeth Way highway is under provincial jurisdiction.
Among the changes that would happen in town as part of the concept design are realignments to Coon and Queenston roads to accommodate the new bridge.
There were some concerns from members of council. Coun. Erwin Wiens asked about whether the construction of the bridges may disrupt operations at the Niagara District Airport and a $300 million irrigation project.
Coun. Sandra O’Connor was concerned about the areas underneath the bridge and what they would look like once construction started.
“This is supposed to be the Garden City Highway,” she said. “We don’t want a desert there.”
Despite the concern, however, one councillor did express relief at one aspect of the bridges.
“There were tolls on the first bridge for the first 10 years,” said Coun. Adriana Vizarri. “I’m glad there’s no tolls.”
Aigbogun said there will be a website set up by the ministry in the future where Niagara-on-the-Lake residents can give input on the bridges construction.
