The Ontario government has awarded a contract to design and build a bridge crossing for the Bradford Bypass to Brennan Paving & Construction Ltd., a subsidiary of the Miller Group.

The project scope of work calls for construction of the bridge, which will allow County of Simcoe Road 4 (Yonge Street) between 8th Line and 9th Line to cross over the future Bradford Bypass. The project will also include widening County Road 4 from two to four lanes.

“Awarding the contract to build the bridge for the Bradford Bypass brings us another step closer to getting shovels into the ground on this critical project – one that local communities have been asking to get built for decades,” said Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroney.

Construction on the new bridge is expected to begin in late 2022 with an expected completion date by late fall 2024.

During construction, the Bradford Bypass is estimated to contribute $274 million in annual real GDP and support 2,640 jobs per year on average in the transportation, engineering, construction and supply-chain industries.

The new four-lane freeway, connecting Highway 400 and Highway 404 in Simcoe County and York Region, will relieve gridlock, create jobs and spur economic growth in the rapidly-growing Greater Golden Horseshoe region.

"The Bradford Bypass will unlock employment lands and lock in Bradford's urban boundary, ensuring that we grow in a smart, sustainable, compound way,” said Bradford West Gwillimbury Mayor Rob Keffer. “Our business community, our manufacturers, as well as for our workers that are commuting back and forth to work will be able to spend more time at home with their children."

A project-specific assessment of environmental impacts for the project is currently underway and is expected to be completed by December 2022.