A major section of Mapleview Drive East in Barrie will be completely shut down starting Monday, June 8, as crews install a new culvert at Hewitt’s Creek. The closure between Chef Lane and Royal Jubilee Drive/Lally Terrace will last through Friday, November 20, 2026, meaning drivers and transit riders will need to find alternate routes through the summer and fall.
The City of Barrie says the work is part of a larger transportation improvement project along the corridor. The detour route will take traffic along Yonge Street, Big Bay Point Road, and Prince William Way. Emergency vehicles will still have access through the construction zone.
Barrie Transit routes 12A and 12B will also be detoured starting June 8. They won’t go to the Barrie South GO Station during the closure. To help people reach the station and Maple Ridge Secondary School, a free shuttle will run on both sides of the closure. The shuttle operates weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and weekends from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a bus coming by roughly every 35 to 40 minutes. The schedule is timed with GO Train arrivals and departures as well as school start and dismissal times.
This work is a key piece of the Mapleview Drive East Transportation Improvements project, which will eventually widen a 1.4-kilometre stretch between Yonge Street and Prince William Way to four lanes with a centre median and multi-use trails on both sides. The project also includes improving intersections and adding stormwater infrastructure, like a new pond about 200 metres east of Chef Lane. The province is chipping in funding through Ontario’s Housing Enabling Core Servicing grant, and the city says the upgrades support planned growth to 2031.
The city awarded the contract to Primrose Contracting Inc., and the entire project is expected to wrap up in spring 2028. For now, residents and commuters should plan for extra travel time and watch for signs marking the detour routes.
