- The Individual Environmental Assessment (EA) for new Highway 7 from Kitchener to Guelph was approved with conditions in March 2007 (as documented in the Highway 7 Kitchener to Guelph Amendment to the Environmental Assessment Report 1997 (2004).
- Design improvements developed from the subsequent Value Engineering Study were presented at two Public Information Centres held on May 3, 2011 (Kitchener) and May 5, 2011 (Guelph) and documented in a Transportation Environmental Study Report (TESR) to amend the approved individual EA. The TESR received environmental clearance for Right-of-way (ROW) Designation and Expropriation on October 22, 2012.
- The Initial Design (30% Detailed Design) phase was completed in 2014, and is documented in the 2014 Initial Design Report. The Initial Design phase further developed and refined the approved EA design and incorporated the recommended Value Engineering design improvements.
- Phase 1 (Completed) – New Highway 7 began in 2015 when the Guelph Street overpass was widened to accommodate the future interchange at Highway 85. Phase 1 construction included:
- widening the Guelph Street bridge (completed 2015);
- widening and extension of Shirley Avenue in Kitchener (completed 2017);
- relocation of municipal utilities at the Victoria Street Bridge over Highway 85 in Kitchener (completed 2017);
- clearing vegetation and fencing in select areas along the new Highway 7 right-of-way between Kitchener and Guelph (completed 2018); and,
- replacement of the Victoria Street Bridge over Highway 85 in Kitchener (completed 2019).
- Phase 2 – The Detailed Design phase for the new Highway 7 Grand River Bridges is building on the approved Environmental Assessment (EA) for new Highway 7 from Kitchener to Guelph.
- The Detailed Design for the new Highway Grand River Bridges and approaches involves the following works:
- New crossing of the Grand River will be comprised of two voided post-tensioned box girder bridges for eastbound and westbound lanes of the new highway.
- The Walter Bean Trail on the west side of the Grand River will be relocated closer to the Grand River to accommodate the new west bridge abutments.
- The bridge construction will also require the relocation of an existing entrance to 618 Bridge Street further east on Bridge Street.
- Phase 3 (In Design) – The engineering and environmental work for the final phase of new Highway 7 is progressing. Design and Construction Reports will also be prepared for Phase 3. Advance work is being completed to facilitate Phase 3 which includes:
- Highway 7 and Frederick Street underpass replacement in Kitchener
- Highway 6 (Hanlon Parkway) and Woodlawn Road Interchange in Guelph
- Guelph Junction Railway Modifications
- Two Species At Risk (SAR) habitat restoration projects
- Bobolink and Eastern Meadowlark (started in 2022)
- Little Brown Myotis