Weber Street partially reopens as widening project nears end

Traffic moves along the new Weber Street underpass in Kitchener on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014. (Krista Simpson / CTV Kitchener)

Drivers in Kitchener’s north end got their first piece of good news in some time Thursday afternoon, as the new Weber Street underpass opened to traffic.

It’s not a full opening – only one lane will be flowing in each direction for the next few weeks – but it’s more than the area has seen in several months.

“There’s still quite a bit of work left to do at the retaining walls and the bridge itself,” said project manager Peter Linn.

Weber had been closed north of Victoria Street since July, while construction had meant occasional disruptions for the previous year.

For several weeks in the summer, the busy intersection of Weber and Victoria streets was also closed to traffic.

The stretch between Victoria and Wellington streets was to be complete in September, but heavy rains pushed the project behind schedule.

Weber is being widened to four lanes between College and Union streets, with an underpass taking it past the train tracks.

Construction on the remainder of the project is expected to wrap up before winter.

“Effective the start of December, you should be able to drive on four lanes,” Linn said.

Lane closures will occur periodically over the next few weeks, but the road isn’t expected to fully close again at any point before construction wraps up.