Busy Barrie road under construction to open ahead of schedule

Barrie motorists can breathe a sigh of relief as one of the city’s busiest roads is set to open well ahead of schedule.

The City says Big Bay Point Road between Bayview Drive and Huronia Road will reopen on Friday after crews completed work on water main construction.

According to officials, the water main lining work included reinforcing pipe that was deteriorating and corroding. The recent work is expected to prevent emergency repairs and other issues down the road.

“We appreciate the cooperation of residents and businesses throughout this project and thank the contractor for their excellent work in completing the lining ahead of schedule,” said Director of Infrastructure Sherry Diemert. “Completing this work early helps ensure reliable water service for the community and minimizes future disruptions.”

The reopening is a welcome surprise for drivers.

It was initially thought the project wouldn’t be completed until sometime in December.

Throughout construction, the lane reductions caused major delays for drivers, while also disrupting transit schedules and bike lanes.

• Construction on Big Bay Point Road raises questions: Why wasn’t it done during 2021 reconstruction?
• Road construction delays cause chaos in south end Barrie

This same section of road was under construction a few years ago, causing major headaches for motorists. That work was for widening the road and in connection to the Harvie Road bridge project over Highway 400.

This time around, the area had been under construction since July.