The intersection of King Street East and Church Street is set to fully close to all traffic starting June 2, at least one month ahead of schedule, due to complications arising from the replacement of a 142-year-old watermain.
Under the City’s original plan, the intersection was to be restricted to one lane of traffic in each direction until at least July, as crews worked to replace the watermain and begin replacing TTC streetcar tracks. However, the City says unexpected underground utility conflicts on the south side of King Street have forced them to change the construction plan.
“A portion of the watermain that was originally planned for replacement will be relined to extend its service life,” the City said in an updated release.
“To avoid delays to the project schedule, crews will complete watermain work and advance streetcar track replacement at the same time.”
As a result of the construction schedule change, the TTC says its 504C and 504D/304D King replacement buses will begin diverting around the full closure via Jarvis Street, eastbound on Front Street, westbound on Wellington Street and Yonge Street.
Existing diversions to the 503/303 Kingston Road and the 504/304 King streetcars will remain as they are while the 504 King streetcar will divert both ways via Shaw Street. The 503 Kingston Road streetcar will continue to divert via Spadina and Queen Street, running west on King Street to the Dufferin Loop.
The diversions are expected to affect 100,000 daily streetcar users, with travel times estimated to be between five and 10 minutes longer, depending on the destination.
The intersection is scheduled to reopen by mid-August.
