The city is worried looming repairs to the Burlington Bay Skyway will create kilometres-long highway queues and clog local roads with tens of thousands of diverted motorists if the bridge closes during the day.

Provincial transportation officials say they don't expect QEW traffic to be "significantly impacted" by the protective painting of structural steel on the Toronto-bound bridge, which is slated to begin this spring and continue over three years.

But some city officials say they've been told extremely high winds combined with tented, hanging work platforms could force the emergency closure of the bridge.

If that happened at rush hour — as opposed to late at night when closures are scheduled — "people would be lined up all the way to Grimsby," said Councillor Chad Collins.

"I think people understand every road construction project comes with a certain amount of inconvenience built in, but the idea of a (daytime) bridge closure on one of the country's busiest highways is frankly scary to contemplate."

City traffic operations manager Martin White said he is still waiting for project details from the province, including a "queue analysis" for various construction scenarios.

But in the event of a closure, "ideally, we wouldn't want that (diverted) traffic on our roadways, because there's nowhere to put it," said White, noting the Red Hill Valley Parkway is already at 85 per cent capacity on the average weekday.

The city has asked MTO officials to attend a March 17 meeting to talk about the Skyway project and other upcoming bridge and highway repairs.

In an email, MTO spokesperson Astrid Poei said there will be scheduled closures of the Toronto-bound Skyway over the three-year project, but only at night. Traffic will be detoured along Eastport Drive, not the parkway.

Poei said the ministry "can't speculate" on how often the bridge might close due to weather or other incidents, but noted Ontario Provincial Police decide whether to close provincial highways for safety reasons.

She said the Skyway has only been closed due to high winds three times in the last six years — once in 2011 and twice in 2008.

City staff expect to do their own analysis of local traffic impacts related to the Skyway project and make recommendations to council — including on how to schedule local road reconstruction projects to minimize congestion.

Councillors said they're eager to speak to ministry officials at the meeting.

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"I think what people have to realize is more traffic will be going to the Red Hill no matter what," said Stoney Creek Councillor Brad Clark. "That is not going to be pleasant … it's bumper to bumper at times now."

While the province is responsible for detour plans and signs for the QEW, the city "absolutely needs to be involved," said Councillor Sam Merulla. "There will need to be very good communication with the public when the time comes."