Now that the ground in Toronto has finally thawed again, we all know what time of year it is: yes, everyone's favourite, patio season! ...But along with it, the far less thrilling and much-dreaded season of non-stop constuction.

The city has just announced the onset of a very packed period of work on roads, bridges, watermains, sidewalks, transit infrastructure, sewers, cycling paths and more, detailing how it will be spending more than a whopping $1 billion on various projects this summer.

🚧Today, I joined @TO_Transport and @PasternakTO to kick off Toronto’s busy 2023 construction season with more than $1.14 billion of work planned for our:

🚘Roads
🌉Bridges
🛣️ Expressways
🚇TTC tracks
🔧Sewers
🚰Watermains

I want to thank Torontonians in advance for their… pic.twitter.com/NtexhCTEi5

— Jennifer McKelvie (@McKelvieTO) May 16, 2023

Some $426 million will be allocated to rehabilitation and improvements to transportation infrastructure to keep our roads and highways in tip-top (well, let's say satisfactory) shape — $4.6 million will be going towards fixing potholes, thank goodness — while another $713 million or so will be dumped into the city's water infrastructure.

A few of the thoroughfares that will be impaired by this work are Bloor St. W between Avenue to Spadina, University Ave. from Queen to College Streets, Adelaide from York to Victoria, Ossington Ave. from Queen to Argyle and Broadview Ave. from Gerrard all the way to Danforth.

Today marks the “official” start of construction season in Toronto. City officials will outline some of the major projects planned. Downtown drivers(like those here on Lakeshore) say the construction has never stopped and their commute now is longer than before the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/QClGzIfjTO

— carl hanstke (@carlCityNews) May 16, 2023

Segments of dozens of major roads will see road resurfacing, sewer and watermain upgrades, streetcar track replacements and other improvements that will definitely mean partial or full road closures and more traffic congestion than usual.

Officials are encouraging people to keep this roadwork season in mind and plan their commute ahead, allotting extra time for travel hiccups and keeping abreast of road restrictions and closures online.

"Construction Season", lol! In Toronto construction never stops.

— Isabella Gamk For Mayor 2023 (@IsabellaGamk___) May 16, 2023

The city is also launching some new Priority Travel Routes around work sites, which will limit construction on surrounding streets to better allow motorists, pedestrians and cyclists to detour.

In addition, special personnel will be stationed at key intersections during rush hour to help control the flow of traffic. The city notes that in past years, these traffic agents have reduced blocked intersections by up to 90 per cent.