More than likely your uncle who tells terrible jokes has once said, “There are two seasons in Canada: hockey and construction.”
There is some truth to the old adage, however, as we are now heading into the latter season.
In Waterloo region, there are three levels of government that will be looking to improve our roadways this summer.
READ MORE: Work on Highway 85 in Kitchener gets underway, expect delays
The Ministry of Transportation handles most of the major highway construction in Waterloo region and work will continue on pretty much every one.
The seemingly never-ending work on the Highway 401 widening project between highways 8 and 24 is scheduled to be completed this year. But, just as it ends, the MTO will begin widening Highway 401 between Highway 24 to east of Townline Road, a project which will run through 2022.
In addition, there will also be some repaving completed on Highway 401 east of Drumbo Road to Regional Road 97 and around Homer Watson Boulevard.
The province also has plans to resurface Highway 7 between Guelph and Kitchener.
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Work that recently began on Highway 85 in Kitchener is expected to be complete by the end of May.
Kitchener residents are also beginning to see the effects of work being done by the region and city as well.
Two major parallel streets, King and Weber, will once again cause headaches for those travelling in and out of downtown.
On Weber Street, work will continue into the fall between Borden Avenue and Queen Street and will see Weber Street closed to eastbound traffic and reduced to one lane westbound.
On King Street, between Montgomery Road and Ottawa Street, there will be more resurfacing done.
READ MORE: 1 dead after multi-vehicle crash on Hwy. 401 near Cambridge
On Ottawa Street, there are two other major construction plans this summer. The ongoing work between Fischer-Hallman and Trussler roads should come to an end this fall, while work between Mill Street and Imperial Drive will last into next year.
There will also be intersection improvements on Trussler Road. When that work comes to an end and the intersection reopens, there will be a full closure on New Dundee Road/Bridge Street.
Work on the Homer Watson Boulevard Bridge will create issues between Conestoga College Boulevard and Hanson Avenue and will also affect a number of other roads in the area at various times throughout the summer and into fall.
Other major roadways in Kitchener that will be affected by work include Lackner Boulevard south of Ottawa Street, Stirling Avenue South from Mausser Avenue to Russell Street, and Franklin Street between Weber Street and Trafalgar Avenue.
The city also has projects underway or scheduled for the summer throughout the Centreville Neighbourhood and on David Bergey Drive, Mausser Avenue/Stirling Avenue South, Vanier Drive, Webster Road and downtown on Queen Street.
A host of major projects will also hit Waterloo, not the least of which is the streetscaping work being done on King Street between Bridgeport Road to Central Street.
Travellers on University Avenue between Westmount Road and Erb Street and Woolwich Street from University Avenue to Bridle Trail will also be facing some delays.
The work on Dale Crescent and Carlaw Place also continues this summer.
The Separated Cycling Facilities Project will also affect Erb, King, Columbia and Albert streets as well as University Avenue.
Down in Cambridge, residents will also face a wide cross-section of roadwork outside of the aforementioned construction on Highway 401.
Work will continue on the Hespeler Road bridge replacement, which will also create more closures on Ontario’s major highway.
Work on the King Street reconstruction in Preston has already gotten underway and will last right through 2021.
Another major roadway, St. Andrews Street, will also see more construction this summer with work taking place from Grand Ridge Drive to the south city limit.
There is also work scheduled for Franklin Boulevard (between Clyde and Avenue roads), Fountain Street North (King Street to Highway 401), Blair Road (Grant Street to Park Hill Road) and Main Street Reconstruction (Ainslie Street to Shade Street).
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