HUNTSVILLE, ON- Drivers passing through the Huntsville area should get used to lane closures.
That’s according to the province’s transportation ministry, who told the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom on Tuesday that single lane closures through the area along Highway 11 will be in place all summer.
This means the closures in the northbound and southbound lanes of the route are here to stay, for now, while the ministry is also anticipating temporary ramp closures at night later this month.
“Short duration full highway closures are required to undertake jacking of the bridge decks,” read a statement from the ministry.
“These full closures will occur during weekday evenings between Monday and Thursday after 5:00 pm and will only occur with the assistance of the Ontario Provincial Police. These closures are anticipated to be 15 minutes maximum in duration. There are no other full highway closures anticipated.”
A firm timeline for the nighttime closures has not been provided.
Current work on the highway includes the rehabilitation of three highway bridges and resurfacing of 6.8 km of Highway 11 from the south junction of Muskoka Road 3 northerly for 6.8 km, to 1.9 km north of Highway 60.
The work is required to restore the ride quality and performance of the highway, and is expected to extend the service life of the bridges, which would cut down on maintenance costs.
Work by the contractor began in August of 2018, and the ministry expects it to be finished by this fall.