The “Diggin’ Downtown” project began March 2021 to address aging underground water and sewage infrastructure.
Road closures, detour routes and traffic congestion will have an impact on day-to-day routine and business operations.
News
Winter Road Re-Opening
In mid-November, roads in downtown Huntsville will re-open as normal for the winter. When crews have prepared the downtown for winter, detours will be lifted and the downtown core will fully re-open to pedestrians and motorists. Winter maintenance will proceed as normal with snow clearing operations on sidewalks and roadways. An announcement in early November will be made to inform our community of the winter re-opening date, anticipated to be in mid-November. Please see the October 25 media release for details.
Construction stages
Current stages: 2 & 3 - summary
What's being done in stage 2 & 3
- Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on Main Street in the area from Brunel to West Street
- New sidewalks, boulevards and parking spaces with streetscaping elements
- King Street streetscaping
- Town Hall ramp
Pedestrian and boat access
- Walking access to the downtown core will continue to be available
- Pedestrian crossing will be available at the bridge
- Boat traffic can continue to pass under the bridge
Road closures
- Main Street closed from Brunel to Centre Street
- Active construction zone from Brunel to West Street
- King Street closed
Detours
Detour routes, directional arrows and warning signage will be installed in advance, before roads are closed.
- Westbound and eastbound traffic will be directed south of the construction area onto Brunel Road, Veterans Way and Centre Street
- Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way
- River Street will remain closed to vehicular traffic
Spring 2022 Construction
Construction is planned to commence again in Spring 2022. It is anticipated crews will begin work in April 2022 or earlier, if weather allows, starting work in Stage 4 on Main Street from Centre Street to Lorne Street including the Centre and Main Street intersection. A Community Information Session will be planned to inform businesses and residents of spring plans well in advance of a construction start date.
More information will be shared this winter, including a schedule update and plans for the 2022 re-opening celebration of Huntsville’s downtown!
Resident Section and Business Section
Anticipated future stages
As details become available, the below stages will be updated.
Note*: the following details are anticipated and may be subject to change
| Stage 3 |
Estimated timeline
Completion for Stage 3 is anticipated to be mid-November.
What's being done in stage 3
- Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on Main Street in the area from West Street to Lorne Street
- New sidewalks, boulevards and parking spaces with streetscaping elements
- In-Water bridge and headwall works within the Muskoka River
Pedestrian access
Walking access to the downtown core will continue to be available.
Road closures
- Main Street closed from West Street to Lorne Street
- River Street from High Street to Main Street
Detours
Detour routes, directional arrows and warning signage will be installed in advance, before roads are closed.
- Eastbound traffic approaching the construction zone on Main Street will be directed south of the construction area onto Lorne Street, Minerva Street, Centre Street, Veterans Way, Brunel Road and back onto Main Street
- Westbound traffic approaching the construction zone on Main Street will be directed south of the construction area onto Brunel Road, Veterans Way, Centre Street, Caroline Street, Lorne Street and back onto Main Street
- Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way
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| Stage 4 |
Estimated timeline
Stage 4 will commence in 2022 and an updated detailed schedule will be provided at a later date.
What's being done in stage 4
- Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on Main Street in the area from West Street to Lorne Street
- New sidewalks, boulevards and parking spaces with streetscaping elements
Pedestrian access
Walking access to the downtown core will continue to be available.
Road closures
- Main Street closed from West Street to Lorne Street
Detours
Detour routes, directional arrows and warning signage will be installed in advance, before roads are closed.
- Eastbound traffic approaching the construction zone on Main Street will be directed south of the construction area onto Lorne Street, Minerva Street, Centre Street, Veterans Way, Brunel Road and back onto Main Street
- Westbound traffic approaching the construction zone on Main Street will be directed south of the construction area onto Brunel Road, Veterans Way, Centre Street, Caroline Street, Lorne Street and back onto Main Street
- Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way
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| Stage 5 |
Estimated timeline
Stage 5 will commence in 2022 and details on the completion of the project will be provided at a later date.
What's being done in stage 5
- Road surface completed to top course asphalt including line painting
- All streetscape elements including all plantings
Pedestrian access
Walking access to the downtown core will continue to be available.
Road closures
- Rolling closures between the Muskoka River Swing Bridge and Lorne Street
Detours
Detour routes, directional arrows and warning signage will be installed in advance, before roads are closed.
- Dependent on the work area, westbound and eastbound traffic will directed north of the construction area onto Chaffey Street and West Road and Centre Street
- Dependent on the work area, westbound and eastbound will be directed south of the construction area onto Brunel Road, Veterans Way, Lansdown Street and Lorne Street
- Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Lorne Street along Veterans Way and Caroline Street
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Completed stages
| Stage 1 - complete |
Stage 1 Summary
- Planned: March - early June, 2021
- Starts: First week of March 2021
What's being done in stage 1
- Muskoka River Swing Bridge upgrades, bridge rehabilitation and repairs, new bridge driving surface
- Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to Brunel
- Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on River Street from High Street to Main Street
- New sidewalks, boulevards and parking spaces with streetscaping elements
Pedestrian access
Walking access to the downtown core will continue to be available.
Construction zone
- Construction will take place on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to Brunel Road
- Construction will take place on the Muskoka River Swing Bridge
- Construction will take place on River Street from High Street to Main Street
- Main Street from Brunel Road to West Street will be used for the storage of construction material purposes, and will be closed to traffic.
Road closures
- Main Street closed from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to West Street (March 12 - end of May 2021)
- River Street closed from High Street to Main Street (March 10 - end of May 2021)
View the Road Closure Map.
Detours
Detour routes, directional arrows and warning signage will be installed in advance, before roads are closed.
- Westbound and eastbound traffic will detour north of the construction area for Stage 1 – Chaffey Street and West Road and Centre Street
- Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way
Stage 1 detour map
Stage 1 detour map with pedestrian crossing
Stage 1 detour map "zoomed in"
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Who can I contact if I have questions?
If you have a question about this project, please continue to monitor:
Residents and businesses within the construction area can ask questions or share concerns:
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