Oshawa Park Road reopening plans now include a winter window, with the route expected to carry traffic again from December 2026 through April 2027.
The temporary reopening would give south Oshawa drivers several months of relief from a closure tied to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation’s Highway 401 widening work. Park Road South has been closed between Bloor Street West and Cromwell Avenue since July 13 while the Park Road and Cubert Street bridges are replaced.
Oshawa councillor John Gray said the ministry confirmed the December-to-April schedule after he and regional councillors Brian Nicholson and Tito-Dante Marimpietri asked whether the road could be returned to public use while bridge construction pauses for winter.
Winter reopening adds detail to earlier plans
Earlier notices said Park Road would reopen when construction shut down for winter, but did not provide a specific operating window. The latest information narrows that period to December 2026 through April 2027.
An exact reopening day in December and a precise spring closure date have not been announced. Drivers should continue to follow posted signs and check official traffic information before travelling through the area, particularly as construction schedules can change.
The Park Road closure is one of several major transportation projects affecting north-south travel in Oshawa. Simcoe Street is closed between Avenue and Albany streets for a Metrolinx bridge replacement connected to the Bowmanville GO extension. Wilson Road South is also closed from Dieppe Avenue to Bloor Street East for an MTO overpass replacement, with that closure expected to continue until late spring 2027.
The overlap has pushed additional traffic onto the remaining crossings and nearby detour routes. The winter reopening of Park Road should restore an important connection across Highway 401 during the period when work at that location is paused.
The change will be particularly relevant to residents and businesses south of Highway 401, where the simultaneous closures have reduced the number of direct routes into central Oshawa. However, drivers should not assume every nearby construction restriction will be lifted at the same time. Work at Simcoe Street, Wilson Road and other locations follows separate schedules managed by different agencies.
Long-term construction still continues
The winter opening does not mark the end of the bridge project. Park Road is expected to close again after April 2027 as construction resumes, and the City of Oshawa’s project information continues to list the broader Park Road and Cubert Street work through fall 2027.
Durham Region Transit currently lists detours for routes 403, 421A, 421C, PULSE 901 and N2 because of the Park Road closure. Transit riders should watch for a separate DRT notice confirming whether routes will return to Park Road during the winter opening.
For now, Stevenson Road, Ritson Road and Harmony Road remain the main alternatives identified for motorists. Residents can monitor Ontario 511 for MTO traffic information and the Durham Region Transit detour page for service changes.
Sources: INsauga, City of Oshawa, Durham Radio News
