The scope of this project was divided into two phases. Phase 1 covered the removal of the Seventh St Bridge outside of St. Catherines 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 St. Bridge 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 St roadways.
The original Seventh St. 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.
7th 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. Signalized intersections have not been used.
Phase 2, covered the construction of a new bridge. All reconstruction efforts needed to adhere to Ministry of Transportation Ontario’s heritage guidelines, which dictate that the type liner in the barrier wall was required to match other structures in the Niagara area, as well as consistency in the landscaping design.