Major Toronto intersection now closed for months

If you've been dreading the forthcoming roadwork that will completely shut down the corner of King and Church streets for more than two months — and divert several key streetcar routes in the process — then you won't likey be pleased to find out that the traffic headaches have already begun, as the construction timeline has been moved up.

As of Monday, June 2, the busy downtown intersection has been blocked off for a dual streetcar track and watermain replacement project that both the TTC and City have been warning residents about for weeks.

While early steps of the infrastructure renewal kicked off in May, the corner wasn't due to be entirely closed to traffic until July, with at least one lane of travel in each direction set to remain open until that time.

But a hitch in the plan for the 142-year-old watermains has changed the schedule.

As the City wrote in a recent construction update, "due to unexpected underground utility conflicts on the south side of King Street, changes to the construction approach are required, and a portion of the watermain that was originally planned for replacement will be relined to extend its service life."

"To avoid delays to the project schedule, crews will complete watermain work and advance streetcar track replacement at the same time," it continued in the notice, which was released just a few days prior to the amended closure date.

Fortunately, while the change may come as an abrupt surprise to those passing through the area this week, it means the renovations should wrap up earlier than originally expected.

The fourth and final phase of the work, which includes installing new streetcar rail and redoing the surrounding sidewalks, should now be done in time for the corner to reopen by mid-August rather than early September.

But, given that a portion of the aging underground pipes initially slated for full replacement are now just being refurbished, we will inevitably have to see another closure of the junction in future years.