401 Truckstops to reopen. Yay!

TORONTO — But it’ll be next July and only seven of them. Boo.

While it’s still way too early to hit the turn signal or get out the travel mug for refills, truckers who use the 401 will be happy to hear they’re finally ramping up construction on the 23 service centers that have been closed for more than a year.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) says that seven of the 23 will be open in July 2010, with fuel, washrooms, parking and convenience stores.

The seven are:

Bainsville (westbound), near the Quebec/Ontario border; Tilbury South (eastbound) between Windsor and Chatham Kent; Tilbury North (westbound) west of Chatham-Kent; West Lorne (westbound) west of London; Trenton North (westbound) west of Belleville; Dutton (eastbound) east of Chatham-Kent; and Morrisburg (eastbound) east of Prescott.

Of those, extended truck parking will be available at the Morrisburg, Trenton North, Tilbury South and Dutton sites.

The MTO says construction schedules for the other centers will be determined once the final contract agreement has been reached with whoever gets the contract to operate them.

Those agreements are expected to be reached some time this winter.

Then, depending on how long it takes to bring the properties up to environmental standards, the MTO projects the following schedule:

Mallorytown South, Mallorytown North, Ingleside and Trenton South, all located along 401 East, are projected to reopen in spring 2011.

Woodstock, on 401 West and Port Hope, Napanee and Odessa along 401 East are slated to reopen in fall 2011.

Cookstown and Barrie centres on the 400 corridor are projected to reopen in winter 2012.

Cambridge North and Cambridge South, on 401 West and King City along 400, all are projected to reopen by winter, years from now.

Like we said, don’t hit the signal yet.