Road closures will once again plague drivers travelling through the core as construction of the bus rapid transit downtown loop gears back up.
Queens Avenue between Richmond Street and Talbot Street will have lane restrictions starting Tuesday. The work, which is expected to last for two weeks, is to allow for hydro work in the area.
The bigger, longer lasting issue for drivers downtown will be the closure of two blocks of Queens between Wellington and Richmond streets. That section of Queens, which includes the Clarence Street intersection, begins Wednesday and will continue until the summer.
"Destinations in this block of Queens Avenue can be accessed via Richmond Street, as a temporary two-way traffic configuration will be in place to support local access to businesses and properties," city officials said in a statement.
Detours have been set up to send motorists to Dufferin Avenue and York Street for east-west connections. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes when travelling through the area and should expect delays.
Bus routes that normally operate on Queens are being moved to Dufferin Avenue throughout the duration of the construction. Pedestrian and bike access will be maintained through the area, although cyclists are asked to consider using Dundas Place.
BRT work already has northbound Wellington just north of King Street down to one lane. The lane restrictions were put in place earlier this month to allow crews to relocate utilities in preparation for the construction of the downtown loop and Wellington Gateway. That restriction is expected to continue until the end of March.
Construction of the downtown loop is entering its third and final phase this March. Phase 1 of the project was built in 2021 on King Street between Ridout and Wellington Streets. Phase 2 happened between March and December of last year and saw many temporary intersection closures, lane restrictions and, at times, around-the-clock construction.
