EG's 2nd Concession closed for massive upgrades

Region overseeing $94-million plan

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 25, 2014
By Simon Martin

On Monday, the much-awaited closure of the 2nd Concession marked the next phase of development in East Gwillimbury.

The road will be closed from Green Lane to Mount Albert Road and from Doane Road to Queensville. The north-south route is being widened to four lanes between Green Lane and Doane.

Other improvements include major bridges at Rogers Reservoir, new curbs, streetlights, storm sewers, water main and sanitary sewer enhancements.

“It is the biggest transportation project the region has ever tendered,” project manager Mark Nykoluk said, adding the $94-million plan is on budget and on time.

Access to local traffic will be maintained and, to minimize impacts to motorists, the road closure was co-ordinated with the opening of the Hwy. 404 extension.

The road will be closed from Green Lane to Mount Albert until the end of 2015 and from Doane to Queensville Sideroad until spring 2015.

For residents living along the 2nd Concession, the massive infrastructure project is overdue. “There is way too many accidents. I absolutely don’t mind the road closure,” resident Wendy Chubb said.

Bruce Thompson has lived along the 2nd Concession for 25 years and said it had become a dangerous road with no shoulders, adding there were accidents every week.

The region took over control of 2nd Concession from the town in 2006. Mayor Virginia Hackson said the town would never have had the necessary resources to tackle a project of this magnitude.

At the time of construction, Nykoluk said the road was carrying around 12,000 vehicles a day. By 2031, the region estimates that number will double to help service development in East Gwillimbury.

The road will help service development in more ways than just funnelling traffic.

It will also be the link to allow sewage to be pumped down from East Gwillimbury to the York Durham Sewage System and, eventually, up to the proposed sewage treatment plant in Queensville.

Nykoluk estimated that 20 per cent of the project is already completed.