Oshawa residents and politicians are growing increasingly frustrated with Metrolinx over the two-year closure of the Simcoe Street bridge, with renewed criticism now focused on the transit agency’s decision to halt construction work on weekends.
Councillor Brian Nicholson, who represents Ward 5 in Oshawa and sits on Durham Regional Council, is calling the decision to restrict work to weekdays only “foolhardy in the extreme” as the community grapples with ongoing traffic disruptions throughout the area.
“They need to understand that their decision to only work Monday to Friday on this project is foolhardy in the extreme,” Nicholson said in a statement. “Work around the clock and finish this rebuild in six months — not two years or more. Ending the traffic chaos is the best decision to aid area residents and motorists. Give us our main street back!”
The Simcoe Street bridge was closed in January as part of Metrolinx’s Bowmanville Extension project, which involves replacing the aging bridge that spans the Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail corridor. The full road closure affects Simcoe Street between Avenue and Albany streets in central Oshawa.
Metrolinx has stated the closure will remain in effect for approximately two years, with construction activities limited to weekdays between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. The agency has arranged traffic detours via Stevenson Road, while GO bus routes 52, 56, and 92 have been rerouted to accommodate the construction zone. Pedestrians are being directed to use the Michael Starr Trail as an alternative path around the closed bridge.
Public frustration has been mounting steadily since the closure was first announced earlier this year. Area businesses have raised concerns about lost customers and reduced foot traffic, while residents have complained about significantly longer commute times and increased congestion on surrounding residential streets. The decision not to work on weekends has only intensified that frustration among locals who pass through the area daily.
Nicholson’s call for accelerated construction schedules echoes what many in the community have been demanding since the project began in January. The argument from residents and business owners is straightforward: if the bridge needs to be closed for an extended period of two full years, every available working hour should be used to complete the rebuild as quickly as possible.
The Simcoe Street bridge replacement is one of several major infrastructure projects tied to the broader Bowmanville GO Extension, which will eventually bring commuter rail service east from Oshawa to Bowmanville. The larger project includes construction of new GO stations in east Oshawa, Courtice, and Bowmanville, along with significant upgrades to the existing rail corridor.
While Metrolinx has maintained that weekday-only construction is standard practice for infrastructure projects of this scale, critics argue that the severity of a two-year full road closure on a major arterial route warrants an exception to that policy. The Simcoe Street bridge weekend work stoppage has become a flashpoint for broader community questions about how transit agencies balance construction timelines with the daily impact on residents and local businesses.
As the bridge closure continues with no visible signs of an accelerated construction schedule, Oshawa residents and commuters can expect the detours, congestion, and disruptions to persist for the foreseeable future — at least on weekdays.
