Long-delayed work to replace watermains along University Avenue began Monday, kicking off extended lane restrictions along a portion of the busy street until next spring.
The City of Toronto says it plans to replace the watermain as well as the portion of “substandard” water services owned by the City on the east side of University Avenue, from College Street to Armoury Street.
Roadway and pavement improvements will also take place during this time including adjusting the width of existing lanes from College to Dundas streets – both traffic and parking – to meet City standards. Other pedestrian features to meet Ontario’s accessibility standards like curb ramps and tactile warning strips will also be installed. The radius of curbs throughout the project area will also be reduced where possible to “tighten up intersection corners and slow down turning motorists and improve pedestrian and cycling crossing safety.”
The project was originally slated for Oct,. 2024 but it was pushed back to Aug. 4 this summer, before once again being delayed until late September.
Starting Monday, until an unspecified date in the winter, the City says only one northbound curb lane will stay open to keep traffic moving. Thereafter from winter to spring, 2027 roadway updates and water service connections will be installed during which one northbound median lane will remain open to handle traffic.
“Although construction will be taking place in the area, the bi-directional cycle track will remain fully open and accessible to cyclists on the west side from Armoury Street to College Street,” the City noted in its construction notice.
Map of cycle route detours during the project. Credit: City of Toronto
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