Motorists haven't been able to cross under Highway 400 using Innisfil Beach Road for the last few days.
South Simcoe police are investigating after an excavator struck and damaged the bridge Friday, Jan. 24. The incident has left Innisfil Beach Road closed in both directions at the bridge, for what the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has deemed "emergency roadwork."
“No traffic in either direction is passing under the bridge due to repairs,” police said in a social-media post Monday morning. “More details regarding the investigation and closure will be provided as they become available.”
The MTO has not indicated when this stretch will reopen.
This area already has a lengthy recent history of construction work, as part of the ministry's plan to replace the 400 bridges at Innisfil Beach Road and the nearby Barrie Collingwood Railway corridor, and reconstruct both the Innisfil Beach Road interchange and the existing six-lane 400 mainline. Drainage and illumination improvements are also planned for the area.
Construction on the overall project began in April 2022, though planning for it has stretched back decades.
This entire reconstruction project — tendered at $83.2 million — is scheduled for a 2025 completion, MTO says.
Travellers can visit 511on.ca or find the @511Ontario social-media accounts for updates on local roadwork and its implications on traffic.
More details on the overall reconstruction project can be found at innisfil.ca.
