York Region has begun urgent repairs to the Holland River Bridge, which is jointly owned by York Region and Simcoe County.  

York Region is working to complete this critical work to ensure the structural integrity of the bridge. While there is no immediate risk to public safety, delaying this work could result in lane closures, weight restrictions or even a full bridge closure.

Map of Toll Road Road closure

About the project

Deteriorated bridge structure of Holland River Bridge

A 2023 inspection of the bridge found structural deterioration. Follow-up assessments showed deterioration had progressed more rapidly than anticipated, requiring immediate repairs to maintain the bridge’s structural integrity. Rapid deterioration was primarily caused by leaking expansion joints allowing road salt to reach the structure.

Work includes repairs to structural components of the bridge including the bridge deck. Traffic lanes have been reduced to one lane in each direction as sections of the bridge deck are being removed. It is not possible to re-open all lanes to traffic until the bridge deck has been re-instated at the end of each stage of work.

There may appear to be quiet periods of work, as much of the work is happening below the bridge and with materials such as concrete and grout that need time to cure before work can proceed. 

Construction Schedule Update

Construction was originally planned to be done in two stages due to in-water work restrictions put into place by Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The Region has received an exemption to working in-water, moving stage 2 up to start in winter 2026, with the expected completion date now late spring 2026. The revised schedule is:

  • Stage 1: Expected to be complete in winter 2026
  • Stage 2: Beginning immediately after stage 1; expected completion late spring 2026

Minimizing impact to travellers

 Traffic will continue to be reduced to one lane in each direction until the project is complete. Travel impacts include:

  • Lane restrictions over the bridge will remain. Traffic will be shifted to the other side of the bridge when stage 2 begins
  • Turning restrictions and the temporary closure of Toll Road to through traffic will continue
  • Continued restricted left turn from Highway 11 to Canal Road and from Canal Road to Bridge Street
  • No stopping is permitted:
    • On Canal Road between Bridge Street and Pumphouse Road
    • Pumphouse Road near Graham Sideroad to the south and near Canal Road to the north
    • On Graham Sideroad and just east of Pumphouse Road

Travellers will continue to expect delays and should allow for extra travel time.

Project notices

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to re-open all the lanes of traffic?

Due to nature of the rehabilitation work the lanes cannot be re-opened until the work on the bridge deck has been completed.

Can the repair work be done at night? 

Due to the complex nature of the work, including sections of the bridge deck being removed and to ensure a safe working environment, the work will occur during daylight hours. 

The contractor is working Monday to Saturday, and most Sundays, and it has been determined extending working hours further would have a minimal impact to the schedule.

Why does it look like work has stopped or slowed?
  • There will be periods where work appears to have slowed and you may not see workers because: Work is happening below the bridge, away from driver line of sight
  • Work may not be happening due to inclement weather; after a weather event, such as a heavy rainfall, the contractor needs to wait for the work zone to dry
  • Some materials such as concrete and grout require time to set and cure before work can proceed. Curing is critical to ensure structural integrity and long-term durability of the materials
  • Weather and poor underwater soil conditions require additional structural work. Micropiles must be installed deeper into stable soil underwater, and this work will resume once the specialized equipment and materials arrive
How will real-time updates on construction progress and unexpected delays be provided to help travellers plan their trip?

Travellers are encouraged to use traffic and navigation tools such as Waze. York Region provides real-time traffic and road information in open data, used by many apps.

Updates are posted on portable message boards located near the work area.

What traffic flow measures are in place during the lane reductions?

Traffic is guided by temporary line markings, concrete barriers, temporary speed limits and traffic signal timing adjustments to help the flow of traffic. Lane reductions are necessary to complete this work; there are no full lane closures planned. Paid Duty Officers are onsite to help manage the flow of traffic during peak hours.

York Region
Phone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 75000 
TTY: 711 
Email: @email
After hours emergency: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 75200