Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Ave) bridge construction

February 14, 2024

Construction work on the Oxford Road 59 (Vansittart Avenue) bridge in Woodstock is ongoing from February until December 2024.

Detour routes for OR 59 southboundOriginally built in 1967, the bridge is undergoing major reconstruction that takes time to complete. The work includes 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.

During construction:

• Traffic will be reduced to a single lane northbound between Devonshire Avenue and Tecumseh Street.
  
  
• Southbound traffic will be routed to two detours:
  Detour 1 - Oxford Road 17 west to Oxford Road 30 (11th Line)
  Detour 2 - Oxford Road 17 east to Oxford Road 4
  
  
• Tecumseh Street will be open to local traffic only.
  
  
• Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times 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 also remains open, although the parking lot under the bridge will not be open for public use. The City of Woodstock is advising residents of alternate parking at Pittock Dam (Rivercrest Drive), Roth Park (Highland Drive), and the Pittock South Shore Trail entrance (Lansdowne Avenue).

• All transit buses southbound on the City of Woodstock Route 4 will be detoured during the construction period, with the City announcing updated temporary stops for the Route 4 detour on February 15. Stops are now located at Oxford and Brant and Oxford and Admiral for the convenience of transit riders. Northbound bus routes will remain the same. For Woodstock Transit service updates, please visit the City of Woodstock website.
  
  
• People travelling through this area should expect traffic delays. Please help keep our community and workers safe: respect work zones, obey traffic signs, and maintain a safe distance from equipment and vehicles entering and leaving the site. The posted speed will be reduced to 40 km/hr through the work zone, with speeding fines doubled when workers are present.

About this project

• 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.
• To prepare for rehabilitation work, Oxford County compared a number of construction staging scenarios(External link) 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.

More information

During construction, Oxford County will share information about the project through this page, social media, the Oxford County website, advertising and local media.

If you have questions, please reach out to one of the project contacts.

January 11, 2024

In 2024, Oxford County Public Works will rehabilitate the Oxford Road 59 (OR 59) /Vansittart Avenue Bridge located just north of Devonshire Avenue in Woodstock, which crosses the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Thames River. The bridge, originally built in 1967, is due for major rehabilitation including the complete removal and replacement of the existing bridge deck, repairs to the structure, and a new wider deck to accommodate bike lanes and sidewalks.

As a major urban arterial roadway in Woodstock with an Annual Average Daily Traffic volume of 13,410 vehicles per day, construction staging and traffic control measures are key considerations for this project.

Preparing for construction

In September 2023, County Council approved a construction plan(External link) that will use a single lane for northbound traffic only between Devonshire Avenue and Tecumseh Street, while southbound traffic is re-routed to Oxford Road 17/Oxford Road 4 and Oxford Road 30 (11th Line). Although the Oxford Road 59 northbound traffic lane will remain open during construction, significant traffic delays in the area are expected during the construction period.

This was the preferred option by local emergency responders to ensure timely response to emergencies in the north end of Woodstock. While it requires a longer construction timeline than a full road closure, it will also keep some traffic, including public transportation, moving in the area.

Construction timelines are still being finalized but this work is expected to take place from February to December 2024.

During construction, Oxford County will share information about the project through this page, social media, the Oxford County website, advertising and local media. If you have questions, please reach out to one of the project contacts.

Please check this page again for updates.