Planned closure of Hwy. 417 in Ottawa for construction cancelled this weekend

Construction crews will replace the aging Percy Street bridge along the Queensway this weekend. (Jim O'Grady/CTV News Ottawa)

The partial closure of a section of Highway 417 in central Ottawa for the replacement of the Percy Street bridge has been cancelled this weekend.

Kiewit-Dufferin Midtown Partnership has announced the rapid bridge replacement scheduled for this weekend has been postponed until further notice.

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"The revised date for the highway closures and bridge replacements will be communicated once a new date has been determined," the company said in a statement.

The decision comes as Ottawa sees record-breaking rainfall, with up to 70 mm of rain falling in three hours.

The Ministry of Transportation says the decision to postpone the construction work was due to crews needing more time before the replacement began.

"The decision to postpone the closure is due to additional time being needed to finish preparation and make final adjustments to the bridges to facilitate their successful replacement," the MTO said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa Thursday evening.

"Rapid Bridge replacements are complex undertaking, the MTO and its contractor are working to make sure the project is completed as soon as possible."

The Queensway was scheduled to be closed from 8 p.m. Thursday until Monday at 6 a.m. eastbound between Carling/Kirkwood and Metcalfe and westbound between Metcalfe/Catherine and Bronson.  The closure would allow construction crews to replace the aging Percy Street bridge along the highway.

This will be the third and final weekend of partial closures on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa this summer for bridge construction.