People are using not-yet-opened pedestrian route across Highway 7/8 in Kitchener

People have started using the new pedestrian overpass across Highway 7/8 in Kitchener, even though it’s not officially open in the eyes of the Region of Waterloo.

The bridge spans the highway between Strasburg Road near Ottawa, to Avalon Place on the north side of the highway.

It connects a residential area to the shops and restaurants around Strasburg and Ottawa, most notably, to the Laurentian Power Centre plaza.

After several months of site preparation, at least one delay in the installation of the physical span itself, and then installing lighting and finishing touches, the protective fencing around both ends of the overpass was removed on Monday.

People were out walking across the bridge that same day, including Prashant Gadhvi and his parents, who all live on the Avalon Place side.

He said it’s “kind of exciting” to watch the cars and trucks speeding by on the highway underneath, and he expects his dad will use the bridge all the time for his daily walks of five or six kilometres.

Gadhvi said, “Were were just anticipating when this was going to come and open for us, and it seems like finally it’s open.”

He added he didn’t mind the fact that the bridge never opened during wintertime, but he would have started calling and asking questions had it remained closed in the summer.

570 NewsRadio reached out multiple times to the Region of Waterloo for information and an interview about opening the bridge.

A spokesperson said staff working on the project say the overpass is not open — despite it being accessible to the public.