UPDATED: Herb Gray Parkway Opens This Weekend

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Last updated: Sunday June 28th, 11:40am

An eight kilometre-long stretch of the new Herb Gray Parkway is opening sometime Sunday evening.

Drivers will be able to drive uninterrupted through the parkway without traffic signals – one of the key benefits of the redevelopment, according to officials.

The Parkway will have a temporary traffic configuration with westbound Highway 401 traffic between the existing Highway 401 and Huron Church Line will be in a three lane configuration, with the speed limit in this stretch is 80 km/h. West of Huron Church Line, the number of lanes will decrease from three to two with the third lane closed. These two lanes of traffic will continue to the west bound Highway 401 off-ramp to Highway 3/Huron Church Road and re-connect with the at-grade Highway 3. The speed limit through this stretch of Highway 401 is 60 km/h.

Eastbound Highway 401 traffic from southbound Huron Church Road (eastbound Highway 3) will enter the below-grade Highway 401 via the on-ramp east of the Bethlehem Avenue intersection. The highway will be in a three lane configuration through to the existing Highway 401. The speed limit through this section is 100 km/h.

The partial opening of Highway 401 allows for traffic to be shifted from Highway 3 to Highway 401 so that construction works can be completed on Highway 3. During this stage of construction, travellers will experience short-term ramp and road closures along with other construction works.

“I would like to thank the Windsor and Essex County community for their patience during construction,” said Ontario transportation minister Steven Del Duca. “With 90 per cent of the Herb Gray Parkway now complete, we come closer to realizing the transportation benefits the parkway will deliver to residents and drivers alike and the economic benefits this new Parkway will bring to the region.”

The Parkway is comprised of three components – an extension of Highway 401, an extension of Highway 3 and the parkway trail network set within 120 hectares of green space.

The project is now 90 per cent complete. It is anticipated that construction of the project will be completed by later this year.