Mayor Cam Guthrie is frustrated and disappointed after the province revealed that the completion date for a new Highway 7 between Guelph and Kitchener has been pushed back again.
According to the Ministry of Transportation’s Southern Highways Program 2017-2021, the target completion date for a new Highway 7 is now planned for “beyond 2021.”
It is the fifth consecutive year that the target completion date of the project - which was initially approved in 2007 - has been extended.
“My wish is that the government would just say they are going to do something then do it,” said Guthrie, who found out about the delays through media reports Thursday morning.
“We are not seeing the progress that this region needs,” Guthrie said. “These delays hurt the region.”
Seriously Province? #Guelph to #Kitchener & #Waterloo highway delayed...wait for it..again. It's only been 28 years. https://t.co/o4VU039gZG
— Cam Guthrie (@CamGuthrie) September 7, 2017
Guthrie was asked when he thought a new Highway 7 was going to be built: “Fifteen years ago, and you can quote me on that,” he replied.
More recently he said in 2014 he had talks with provincial officials on the issue.
“I recall being told in 2014 that it was five to six years out,” Guthrie said. “I thought it was going to be completed in the 2020-2021 range.”
The Mayor said that the safety factor alone should be impetus for the province to get the project done, in addition to the need to move people, services and goods between the two cities.
“Why the delays?” he asked.
Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said the project is not being delayed.
"I'm quite pleased. I see serious progress being made," said Sandals, adding that the estimate of the actual construction was always three to four years and that is currently happening, putting a completion date of around 2021.
"Major construction has begun and we will see major construction taking place until the project is complete," Sandals said. "We're moving forward and moving forward in a major way."
Minister of Transportation Steven Del Duca issued the following statement:
“Our government continues to move forward on the new Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph using a three phase approach.
Phase 1 of new Highway 7 began in 2015 when the Guelph Street overpass was widened to accommodate the future interchange with Highway 85. The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has also initiated Phase 2 of new Highway 7 with the commencement of detailed design of two new bridges crossing the Grand River.
While construction is progressing, MTO continues environmental field work, detailed soil and foundations investigations and other engineering work for Phase 3, to complete the new Highway 7.
Our government now owns all of the property needed for the new highway and will continue to consult with the public and Indigenous peoples as the project moves forward.
We remain committed to keeping people and goods moving across the Guelph and Waterloo regions, and will continue to provide updates on the progress being made on the new Highway 7.”
The project file shows that environmental assessments for the project were completed in 2007. Public design input was garnered in 2011. Preliminary design was completed in 2014 and some initial work, including the widening of an overpass in Kitchener to accommodate connection to Highway 86, began in 2015.
Plans for a new four-lane divided highway running just north of the current Highway 7 have been in the works for almost 30 years.
Properties have been purchased to make way for the highway and some preliminary work has and is being done, but the latest list of provincial highway projects shows that the actual building of a new Highway 7 is several years away.
The Mayor said a lot of businesses and other property owners were affected by the appropriation of property for the project.
Guthrie said there are additional frustrations related to delays on a municipal level, notably that the city has to plan its own capital infrastructure plans that relate to the new highway.
“Delays on the provincial side of it definitely effect our efficiencies,” he said.
