Ontario Highway 407 East
July’s CPD Project of the Month
Population growth and infrastructure go hand in hand, especially in suburbs within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Southern Ontario, which are expected to see a spike in development during the coming years.
According to a 2016 report on population growth, the Ontario Ministry of Finance projects that the GTA will be the fastest growing region of the province. The number of people living here is expected to increase by over 2.8 million, or 42.9%, to reach almost 9.5 million by 2041.
That will give the GTA a 52.7% share of the entire province’s population in 2041, up from 48% in 2015.
With this aggressive population growth, public infrastructure in the GTA needs to be installed in suburban areas that have been earmarked for development.
Durham Region, just east of Toronto, is one of those places identified as an area of growth.
Anticipating the need for rapid movement now, as well as in the future, the Government of Ontario put together an ambitious plan to improve the highway system in Durham Region, making transportation through the area faster and easier.
Project: The Highway 407 East Project – Phase 2
Dubbed The Highway 407 East Project, this new plan is overseen by Infrastructure Ontario, a Crown agency owned by the Province of Ontario. The project is comprised of two phases involving the extension/construction of three highways: Highway 407 East, Highway 412, and Highway 418.
The Phase 2 portion of the project includes the extension of Highway 407 East from Harmony Road in Oshawa to Highway 35/115 in Clarington, Ontario. This will be completed in two stages:
- Extension of Highway 407 East from Harmony Road to Highway 418
- Extension of Highway 407 East from Highway 418 to Highway 35/115
The first section of the Highway 407 East extension is expected to open by late 2017, with the second section projected to be completed in 2020.
Contractor: Blackbird Infrastructure Group
Blackbird Construction Group (BBI) was selected by Infrastructure Ontario to design, build, finance, and maintain Phase 2 of the overall project. BBI is a partnership between CRH Canada Group Inc. and Cintra Infraestructuras.
Cintra is one of the world’s leading private sector developers of transportation infrastructure, currently managing over 2,180 kilometers of toll roads in 27 concessions in Canada, the United States, and Europe.
CRH Canada Group Inc. is one of Canada’s largest vertically integrated building materials and construction companies, manufacturing cement, aggregates, and ready-mix concrete.
CPD® Construction Product Used
Highway 407 is a multi-lane freeway that is not only subject to heavy-duty from every size vehicle, but also exposed to all types of inclement weather, extreme temperatures, and varying humidity levels.
To help the bridge and roadway structures withstand these pressures, we recommended the contractor use our Evacon Expansion Joint Copolymer foam. Evacon is a closed cell cross-linked product that has been specially formulated as an expansion/construction waterproof joint material, suitable for use in both new construction and rehabilitation projects.
When used on the sealing joints of a bridge, parking deck, building, or other structures, Evacon Expansion Joint provides excellent durability against wear, and won’t degrade even under the harshest weather conditions.
In addition to the Evacon, our Fastcrete Ultra has been used for concrete repair. Both products were supplied by CRS Contractors Rental Supply, Oshawa Branch.
Project Outcome
Construction of this project is scheduled to continue until its completion in 2020. Once complete, Highway 407 East will provide further relief from congestion on Highway 401 and other arterial roads, improving the movement of people and goods across Durham Region. There will also be added opportunities for business and residential development to accommodate employment and population growth, as well as provide increased tourism and improved travel into cottage country.
Since 1980, CPD® Construction Products has been supplying a wide range of construction products to contractors across Canada and around the world. Talk to our service team about which of our professional-grade products can help you with your next project!
