A section of road at the border of Burlington, Ont., and Oakville will be closed from May 22 to June 1 for work that involves raising train tracks above street level, which is expected to cause traffic and transit delays.
Burloak Drive will be shut down to all vehicles and pedestrians between Harvester Road and Prince William Drive starting overnight Thursday at midnight. On the Oakville side, the closure affects Burloak between Wyecroft Road and Superior Court, as the names change when crossing into a different municipality.
The intersection of Burloak Drive and Prince William Drive/Superior Court will stay open during this time, according to the city of Burlington. Access to 700-728 Burloak Dr., which has several restaurants, a pharmacy, and a convenience store, will still be possible via Prince William Drive.
This work is part of a larger project aimed at raising the train tracks so that trains can cross over Burloak Drive in the future instead of at street level as they do now. Metrolinx states that full closure is necessary for installing “the necessary grade-crossing infrastructure such as signal arms, which will not be operational until all tracks have been shifted onto the Burloak bridge.”
Workers will also relocate and pave the railway crossing on the detour route along Burloak and put in storm sewers south of the intersection between Burloak Drive and Harvester Road/Wyecroft Road.
This construction will also lead to changes in transit routes.
This Saturday and Sunday, followed by next weekend, GO trains will operate between Niagara Falls and Aldershot stations while buses make stops at West Harbour, Aldershot, Burlington, Oakville, and Clarkson GO stations before reaching Bramalea station. From there, passengers can catch the Kitchener train heading to Union station. The GO website mentions that there will be additional trains on this line.
Crews building an overpass to lift trains above road level
On its website, Metrolinx indicates that this work – scheduled for completion in 2027 – aims to improve train service speed while allowing more lanes for vehicle traffic.
“The grade separation, also known as a rail-over-road underpass, will enhance safety for the community by allowing trains to pass through the area without disrupting vehicular and pedestrian traffic,” it states. “The upgrade will also allow Metrolinx to safely increase the number of trains on the Lakeshore West line in the future, bringing more frequent service for customers.”
The transit agency is working toward long-term improvements on the Lakeshore West line that it says will enable hourly service throughout the day between Hamilton and Toronto with an ultimate goal of having trains depart every 15 minutes between Burlington and Toronto.
The last Ontario budget included around $71 billion in funding for transit upgrades which officials say are essential for reducing congestion in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area.
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