Ontario Construction News staff writer
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) have named Skyway Bridging Partners as the development partner for the QEW Garden City Skyway – Bridge Twinning Project.
Under a Progressive Design-Build model, Skyway Bridging Partners has signed a Development Phase Agreement (DPA) with IO and MTO. The partnership will oversee the design of a new four-lane, 2.2-kilometre bridge spanning the Welland Canal, which will carry Toronto-bound traffic. Once the new structure is complete, the existing 1963-built bridge will be rehabilitated to accommodate Niagara-bound traffic.
The team includes:
Applicant Lead: Dragados Canada Inc., Construction Demathieu & Bard Techno, Green Infrastructure Partners
Design: Arcadis Professional Services (Canada) Inc., GHD Ltd., Pedelta
Construction: Dragados Canada Inc., Construction Demathieu & Bard (CDB) Inc., Green Infrastructure Partners
“We look forward to working with the Ministry of Transportation and with Skyway Bridging Partners as our Development Partner,” said Angela Clayton, interim president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario. “This collaborative phase allows us to work together on complex scope, risk and design elements to help deliver this transformative infrastructure project for the St. Catharines/Niagara region.”
The Development Phase is expected to last approximately 19 months. Following that, IO and MTO may choose to proceed into a construction contract with Skyway Bridging Partners.
“Expanding the Garden City Skyway Bridge will secure a vital trade and tourism corridor, support good-paying jobs during construction, and build a more competitive economy here in Ontario for the long term,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation.
The current bridge, which handles more than 100,000 vehicles daily, requires significant rehabilitation. Officials say building a twin bridge first will avoid lengthy traffic disruptions and allow for future expansion along the QEW in the Niagara region.
The QEW corridor is a critical artery in the Greater Golden Horseshoe, moving $1.16 trillion in goods annually and serving as a key route to Niagara Falls, one of Canada’s top tourist destinations with over 12 million annual visitors.
“Our government has reached an important milestone,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “We are delivering on our more than $200-billion infrastructure plan to reduce gridlock, support workers, and drive economic growth across Ontario.”
