News Release: Ontario Government Announces Restart of Repairs on Garden City Skyway

Ontario Government Announces Restart of Repairs on Garden City Skyway

ST. CATHARINES — Repairs to the concrete bridge deck on the Garden City Skyway are now underway Transportation Minister Brad Clark and Bart Maves, MPP for Niagara Falls announced today.

From March 19th to June 30th the Skyway will be reduced from six to four lanes - two lanes in each direction. The work is part of a $17.8-million, three-year project that started last year. The Skyway repairs are scheduled for the spring to accommodate the peak summer travel season.

"We recognize the Queen Elizabeth Way is the key transportation corridor to and from border crossings along the Niagara frontier, used by hundreds of thousands of cars and trucks each day," said Clark. "As a result, every attempt is being made to minimize traffic delays and complete the repair work as soon as possible."

To mitigate possible traffic delays, the Ministry of Transportation is implementing high-tech solutions to inform motorists about the construction and to keep traffic moving. These include: electronic changeable message signs; queue end warning signs; video monitoring of the work zone; dedicated tow trucks; highway advisory radio and signed detours for local St. Catharines traffic.

"The government's top priority is to keep people and goods moving smoothly and safely while this vital repair work is under way," said Maves. "The comprehensive traffic control plan and careful construction scheduling worked well last year and we would expect the same successful outcome in 2001."

"Restoring the Garden City Skyway is a wise investment of highway dollars," said Clark. "It will bolster the growth and expansion of the economy across the Golden Horseshoe, now and in the future."

In addition to on-highway traffic control, MTO will continue to notify the media and motorists via its Traffic and Road Information System (TRIS), as well as the MTO Web site. The public may also call the Ministry's toll-free number at 1-800-268-4686 for up-to-date road information.

The province's $17.8-million investment is part of its five-year, $20-billion SuperBuild initiative designed to facilitate the largest infrastructure building program in Ontario's history.

The Ministry of Transportation has invested a record $1-billion dollars in highway infrastructure projects during the past year. Since 1995, the Ontario Government has invested more than $5.3 billion in highway capital projects.