Motorists can expect two 15-minute closures on Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Avenue) Bridge on April 12

Motorists and pedestrians using Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Avenue) bridge can expect two 15-minute closures on Friday, April 12 for bridge jacking (raising and supporting the existing girders).

Please note, these closures are expected to take place between the peak morning and afternoon commutes to minimize disruption. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid delays.

Later in the project, the contractor will lower the jacks, requiring a second day with two 15-minute closures. Please watch for updates at www.oxfordcounty.ca/59bridge and on our social media channels for the date these additional closures will take place.

Quick facts

• Construction on Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Avenue) Bridge began February 14, 2024, and is expected to be completed in December 2024, weather permitting.

• Traffic has been reduced to a single lane northbound between Devonshire Avenue and Tecumseh Street.

• Southbound traffic has been routed to two detours: Detour 1 - Oxford Road 17 west to Oxford Road 30 (11th Line), and Detour 2 - Oxford Road 17 east to Oxford Road 4.

• Tecumseh Street is open to local traffic only.

• Pedestrian access is being maintained through a sidewalk on one side of the northbound lane, with the side of the lane subject to change based on construction.

• Access from Tecumseh Street to Pittock Conservation Area’s South Shore Trail remains open, although the parking lot under the bridge is not open for public use.

Background

The Oxford Road 59 bridge is a primary transportation route in the City of Woodstock with an annual average daily traffic volume of 13,410 vehicles per day.

Originally built in 1967, the Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Ave.) bridge is undergoing major reconstruction in 2024, including complete removal and replacement of the existing bridge deck, repairs to the structure, and a new wider deck to accommodate bike lanes and sidewalks. Rehabilitation of the bridge was identified as a priority in a 2022 bridge inspection report.

To prepare for rehabilitation work, Oxford County compared a number of construction staging scenarios in the fall of 2023, consulting with emergency responders (fire, police and ambulance), local utilities, rail authorities, and the City of Woodstock to arrive at a construction plan that balances timing, traffic impacts, cost, site safety and, importantly, the need to maintain northbound access for emergency responders.

The Oxford Road 59 bridge reconstruction project is considered to be of generational magnitude, meaning work is of a scale only necessary once in a generation. When completed, this project will extend the service life of the bridge by 75 years.