Project Updates
April 1, 2026: A Notice of Design and Construction Report Submission has been issued for Contract 1. The Design and Construction Report is available in the Documents & FAQ page for a 30-day public review and comment period beginning April 1, 2026 and ending May 1, 2026.
Click the buttons below to learn more about the closures anticipated to be required during construction. The tables are for information only; the durations presented are approximate and will be confirmed during construction.
Project Overview
Stantec (formerly Morrison Hershfield) and Jacobs Consultancy Canada have been retained by the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to support the delivery of the Detail Design and to deliver the Class Environmental Assessment (EA) for the rapid replacement of five bridges at four sites on Highway 417 in the City of Ottawa. The project consists of two separate contracts:
- Contract 1 (GWP 4124-14-00) – Highway 417 Maitland Ave. and Woodroffe Ave. Rapid Bridge Replacements
- Contract 2 (GWP 4069-19-00) – Highway 417 Pinecrest Rd. and Richmond Rd. Rapid Bridge Replacements
The key plan below shows the location of the project bridge sites:
Implementation of the project will involve:
- Rapid demolition and replacement of the five overpass structures (bridges);
- Repairs of deteriorated concrete on exposed surfaces of any retained elements, including rehabilitation of the bridge abutments;
- Replacement or rehabilitation of support facilities and features including grading, drainage, stormwater management, illumination, signage, and the temporary relocation and protection of Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS), as required.
The project is following the approved planning process for Group B undertakings in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities, 2000.
Project Background
In 2007, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) completed an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the preliminary design of Highway 417 (Ottawa Queensway) from Highway 416 to Anderson Road in response to growing traffic volumes. This process resulted in a Recommended Plan to guide the evolution of the Queensway over the next 20 years and was documented in a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR). The assessment followed the approved planning process for Group B undertakings in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Provincial Transportation Facilities, 2000 and the TESR received environmental clearance in 2008. In summary, the Recommended Plan provided recommendations for widening sections of the Highway 417 mainline, modifying interchanges, rehabilitating pavement, bridges and the illuminations system, enhancing drainage systems and Advanced Traffic Management Systems, landscaping and upgrading noise walls. Included in the Recommended Plan is the replacement of five bridges at four sites on Highway 417 located at Maitland Avenue, Woodroffe Avenue, Pinecrest Road, and Richmond Road.
In 2011, a Context Sensitive Design Report was prepared in collaboration with various stakeholders including the City of Ottawa and the National Capital Commission. The report provides an overall design vision for the Highway 417 corridor to promote an entry experience consistent with the roadway’s status within Canada’s Capital. Design concepts and recommendations are outlined in the report to serve as a starting point for the development of standard details and specifications for a range of aesthetic improvements to be used in a context sensitive manner throughout the corridor.
In 2022, the province initiated this current detail design assignment to confirm and refine the EA Recommended Plan specific to the five bridge replacements at Woodroffe Avenue, Maitland Avenue, Richmond Road and Pinecrest Road and to prepare the project for implementation.
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