Road closure updates across City of Barrie

Barrie road closure sign. (Steve Mansbridge/CTV News)

Barrie drivers will need to navigate several road closures over the coming days and months as emergency repairs and long-term construction projects continue across the city. Some roads are set to reopen within hours, while others will remain closed well into the summer.

Work on Lakeshore Drive and Huronia Road between Yonge Street and Little Avenue wrapped up Thursday. During the temporary closure, emergency services and residents had access, but through traffic, including buses, were not permitted.

By Friday night, Veterans Drive between McKay Road West and the 9th Line of Innisfil should reopen after emergency snow-clearing and drainage work in response to flooding in the area. The closure, which began on Wednesday morning, has diverted traffic through Salem Road and County Road 27.

Another flood-related closure, McKay Road West between Reid Drive and County Road 27, will remain shut until next Friday, March 21. No traffic is permitted through the area as city crews work to mitigate flooding concerns.

Next on the list is Simcoe Street, which remains fully closed between Bayfield Street and Lakeshore Mews as part of the Sophia Creek Storm Outlet project. The road has been shut since February 10 and is expected to reopen by April 11. Local businesses and emergency services have had access throughout the closure.

Long-term Projects

More extensive construction projects will keep roads closed well into the summer.

Mary Street between Dunlop Street West and Simcoe Street has been closed since October 2023 to facilitate work on a mixed-use high-rise development. It is set to reopen on March 31.

Several closures tied to major infrastructure projects will last even longer.

Eugenia Street between Dundonald Street and St. Vincent Street, as well as Collier Street between Mulcaster Street and Clapperton Street, and Owen Street between Dunlop Street and Worsley Street, will all remain closed until at least the end of June.

The longest-running closure is on Bayview Drive between Little Avenue and Big Bay Point Road, where a full lane closure has been in place since August. The road will continue operating as a single southbound lane until early summer, with a full reopening expected by July 4.

Drivers are advised to follow posted detours and check for updates as some timelines remain weather-dependent.