Highway 417, Preston Street now closed for latest overpass replacement

The latest Highway 417 closure in central Ottawa to tear down an old bridge and lift in a new one is happening this weekend.

Contractors hired by the province will be doing this work over Preston Street, starting to close the highway at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 25 until early the morning of Monday, July 29.

The target reopening time is 6 a.m., but that can move depending on how the replacement is going.

Similar to previous rapid replacements, the 417 — part of the Trans Canada Highway — closed in both directions between the Carling Avenue and Metcalfe Street exits. 

Eastbound drivers cannot get on the highway at Maitland Avenue during the closure; they just have to get off again about a kilometre later and drivers waiting to exit often back the highway up for an exit or two anyway.

Highway detours rely on Carling and Chamberlain avenues and Catherine Street, with Bronson Avenue connecting the two for people going east and Booth Street going west.

Preston also closed in two stages for this: the first between St. Anthony and Young streets directly at the overpass starting just after midnight on July 17 and the second one block north to Louisa Street at 8 p.m. July 25, matching the highway closure.

Drivers are asked to take Carling, Bronson and Gladstone Avenue instead. Other road users are presented with the Trillium pathway along the Line 2 tracks just to the west.

It is scheduled to reopen Aug. 6.

Northbound Booth Street is closed from Carling to Raymond Street while the highway is closed.

Crowded roads

The ripple effects of these closures have snarled vehicle traffic in central Ottawa as highway drivers turn to other roads. Moving activities to a different time or different way of transportation such as transit, biking and/or walking can help.

The city is specifically saying Friday afternoon and evening travel will be significantly affected by the highway closure and partial light rail closure, plus an Ottawa Redblacks home game.

CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning and All In A Day will have their usual live traffic updates on closure weekdays.

The bridges are near the end of their lifespans, according to the contractor partnership's website. This team previously replaced the bridges over Booth, Rochester and Percy streets, along with Bronson Avenue.

No other replacements are listed on their page. The team said it expects its work to all be finished next year.