Repaving of Hwy. 7 between Kitchener and Guelph to start in coming weeks: MTO

Repaving of Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is set to begin in late August or early September with work scheduled to wrap up by the end of October, the Ministry of Transportation says.

The work will span from 300 metres west ofSpitzig Road, just east of the intersection to turn to go to the Region of Waterloo International Airport over to the west limits of Guelph, Liane Fisher Bloxam, communications co-ordinator for the ministry's west region office, told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo.

The work was announced in March. It will be done by Guelph-based Capital Paving and will cost approximately $3 million.

In an update on the new Highway 7 between the two cities, Fisher Bloxam says phase one was finished in June when the Victoria Street bridge replacement was complete.

"Phase two of the project is currently underway and includes the design of two new highway bridges across the Grand River. Upon completion, a design and construction report for the new Grand River bridges will be made available for a 30-day public consultation," Fisher Bloxam said.

"Environmental field work, detailed soil investigations, and other engineering work for phase three is also underway."

The province has long promised a new highway between Kitchener and Guelph.

A report from the ministry called Southern Highways Program 2017-2021, said the completion date for the new four-lane highway between Kitchener and Guelph is "beyond 2021."

Work to build new bridges over the Grand River to accommodate the new highway is expected to be completed in 2020, the report says.

The previous Liberal government had suggested the new four-lane highway could be completed by 2021.