A critical infrastructure project downtown is expected to close some northbound lanes of University Avenue for several months starting today. In a news release, the City of Toronto said northbound traffic on University Avenue will be reduced to one lane between Armoury Street and College Street until the spring of 2027. Southbound lanes will be unaffected. The city said it is undertaking the project along the major thoroughfare to ensure “reliable long-term water service and provide safety improvements that support the area’s major health-care, institutional and commercial facilities.” Work will take place between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. from Monday to Friday and “on weekends as needed.” “This work will replace two watermains that are more than 100 years old and help ensure Toronto’s hospitals and health-care facilities continue to have the reliable infrastructure they depend on to serve patients, staff and visitors for decades to come,” the news release read. “The city has worked closely with health-care, emergency services and other partners to carefully plan this work and minimize impacts wherever possible. Maintaining access to hospitals and health-care facilities has been a key consideration throughout project planning.” The city went on to say that emergency access, along with access for patients, visitors, and workers, will be “preserved at all times.” A number of traffic management measures, including traffic agents, paid duty officers, temporary signage and signal timing adjustments, will be implemented, the city added. “Motorists should expect travel delays in the area and are encouraged to plan ahead. If you regularly use University Avenue or are travelling through the downtown health-care district, consider adjusting travel times, using alternative routes or taking public transit where possible,” the news release noted.
