Downtown residents may want to invest in some earplugs.
As of this week, construction of the bus rapid transit downtown loop is going around-the-clock.
City crews began the 24-hour work at the intersection of Queens Avenue and Richmond Street on Monday. Day and night construction is required to finish installing and replacing watermain and storm sewers beneath the road most efficiently, city officials said.
The intersection is closed to all vehicular traffic during the construction, but access to nearby properties is being maintained.
"As this continues to be an active construction site, regular construction noise should be expected in the area during the day and overnight," city officials added.
The non-stop work is expected to wrap up by Saturday. It will then return to regular daytime only construction operations with the intersection to remain closed until mid-August.
The downtown loop adds dedicated bus lanes and enhanced transit stops to streets. Phase 1 of the project was built last year on King Street between Ridout and Wellington Streets. Phase 2, which got underway in March, will be done in four stages and should be completed by December. The final phase of the Downtown Loop is planned for next year on Wellington Street between Queens Avenue and York Street.
