Price to build Burlington underpass skyrockets before construction begins

The mayors of Burlington and Oakville got some sticker shock last week when they found out the price to build an underpass had almost tripled and that’s before the start of any construction. The original estimate to build this underpass back in 2018 was $60 million dollars. But now Metrolinx says the cost is now closing in on $180 million.

Burlington’s mayor Marianne Meed Ward said her ‘jaw hit her desk’ when she found out the Burloak underpass project cost climbed to $177 million dollars. She says it’s completely unacceptable and “I say that not just as the mayor of Burlington but as a tax payer myself.”

The Burloak underpass is a Metrolinx project on the border of Burlington and Oakville. It would allow vehicles to drive under the tracks instead of waiting while trains pass. The cost of this project is split between the three parties involved. Metrolinx agreed to pay for 50 percent while the other 50 percent would be split between the town of Oakville and the city of Burlington. Metrolinx is placing the blame on the increased cost of supplies and labour.

Metrolinx says, “when you take a look at things that you need to build a bridge, or a grade separation-concrete, steel, even since the beginning of COVID they have gone up dramatically.”

The mayor of Oakville says he isn’t surprised. Metrolinx recently put a stop to the Kerr street underpass because that project went up more than 100 million dollars.

Marianne Meed Ward says she’s reaching out to both the province and federal governments and asking them to honor the original 60 million dollars agreed-upon price.

While who pays what may still be determined, preliminary work for this project will begin at the end of this spring. With heavy construction beginning in the fall. The entire project is expected to take 5 years.