QEW & Seventh St. Interchange
Client
Ministry of Transportation ("MTO")
Region
Central Canada
Area Office
St. Catharines
Year Completed
2016
Size
100 meters
Sector
Civil
Sub-Sector
Highways
The Story
The scope of this project was divided into two phases. Phase 1 covered the removal of the Seventh Street bridge outside of St. Catharines within a period of 12 hours and the construction of a new bridge over the QEW at the same location. In Phase 2, the new Seventh Streetbridge was raised to accommodate the required vertical clearance over the QEW and lengthened to accommodate a 10-Lane cross-section on the busy highway. The project included the reconstruction of the sidewalk on the west side of the bridge. Drainage improvements were also constructed, including collecting storm water runoff from QEW and Seventh Street roadways.
The original Seventh Street Bridge was the largest bridge in Ontario to be demolished within a single night during a full closure of the QEW. The demolition was scheduled for a 12-hour window, but EllisDon was able to finish the full removal in only 10 hours. Adhering to the company’s commitment to sustainability, all removed concrete was repurposed into granular material for future contracts in the area and the former bridge’s steel was fully recycled.
The Seventh Street Interchange is the first interchange in Ontario to have roundabouts servicing the highway entrances and exits on both the north and south ramp terminals.
Phase 2 covered the construction of a new bridge. All reconstruction efforts needed to adhere to the MTO’s heritage guidelines, which dictated that the liner type in the barrier wall was to match other structures in the Niagara area, as well as have a consistent landscape design.
Awards
- 2016 Project of the Year – Transportation ($2 to $10 Million category) from the Ontario Public Works Association (“OPWA”)
