Ontario Construction News staff writer
Work is ongoing on the Mc Kay Road East watermain and trunk sanitary sewer project in Barrie, with the city announcing that the road will stay completely closed until 2026 to help speed up construction.
This project involves laying down a new watermain over about 800 metres of Mc Kay Road East, stretching from east to west of Highway 400, along with a new trunk sanitary sewer between Highway 400 and Huronia Road. These upgrades are part of larger infrastructure improvements aimed at supporting Barrie’s growth in the long run.
Mc Kay Road East has been recognized as an essential transportation route in the City of Barrie’s Multi-Modal Active Transportation Master Plan, which outlines necessary enhancements to handle growth through 2031. The project is implementing the preferred servicing approach determined through the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment process.
The City of Barrie has hired Ainley Group for engineering design, construction inspection, and contract management services for the new sewer installation on Mc Kay Road East and for reconstructing Huronia Road.
Funding support for this initiative was announced on March 28, 2025, with contributions from Ontario’s Housing Enabling Water Systems Fund.
In a project update shared on January 19, city officials stated they are collaborating with contractors to push forward both phases of construction by keeping a full road closure throughout 2026. This strategy aims to enhance construction efficiency, improve safety on-site, and minimize overall disruption by preventing multiple closures.
The initial plan had Mc Kay Road East reopening on January 23, 2026, with more closures anticipated later in the year. After further evaluation, the project team found ways to execute Stage 1 and Stage 2 work simultaneously, necessitating an extended closure to enable continuous construction.
A revised schedule information bulletin was sent out to local residents in January. Information regarding road closures related to this project can be found on the city’s website.
The Mc Kay Road East watermain and trunk sanitary sewer project is currently underway and is expected to wrap up by spring 2028.
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