A deal between Metrolinx and the municipalities of Oakville and Burlington will see a long-awaited Burloak Drive underpass completed by 2027.
The project – which will improve safety and reduce traffic congestion at the Lakeshore West rail crossing on Burloak – appeared to be derailed earlier this year when Metrolinx announced that costs had nearly tripled from initial estimates.
The project was originally to have been constructed between 2019 and 2021 at an estimated price tag of $60 million. Metrolinx was to pick up half the cost, with Oakville and Burlington each kicking in $15 million.
In February, when Metrolinx signed a $177 million deal to complete the project, it suggested both municipalities should up their contributions to about $45 million.
After negotiations, a deal will see Oakville and Burlington pay $16 million each, with Metrolinx covering the remaining costs.
But the deal will see a 12-month closure of Burloak Drive, between Wyecroft Road and Superior Court.
Closing the 600-metre stretch will allow most road work to be completed simultaneously rather than in stages as initially planned. The closure will take place in mid-2026.
“We are extremely pleased that Metrolinx was able to work with its municipal partners to get this critical infrastructure project back on track,” said Mayor Rob Burton. “Collaboration at all levels of government is important in planning for safety and building a more livable future for our community.”
The Burloak grade separation project has been in the works since 1994.
With GO Transit planning a 15-minute all-day service across the Lakeshore West rail line, underpasses at both Burloak and Kerr Street are seen as crucial projects.
In February, Metrolinx announced it was deferring the Kerr Street project indefinitely. In a recent update to council, town staff said discussions are ongoing to “explore opportunities to restart the project.”
For more information on the Burloak project, see the town staff report on the June 7, 2002 Planning and Development Council Agenda Addendum - item 7.4 or visit the Burloak Grade Separation Project web page.