July 2023 project update
The City of Waterloo and its engineering consultant, WalterFedy, would like to provide an update on the Union Street East road reconstruction project.
Over the past year, the City and WalterFedy have been progressing the detailed design for the selected design concept, Concept 4. Concept 4 is summarized as follows:
- On-street painted bike lanes from King to Mary
- Curb separated bike lanes from Mary to Bowman
- In-boulevard bike lanes from Bowman to Moore
- Secondary Spurline Trail Crossing using signal lights at Union & Moore
The Council approved Transportation Master Plan specifies separated bike lanes on Union Street East. Due to current building constraints between King and Mary, separated bike lanes are not possible. On-street painted bike lanes are planned between King and Mary, as shown on Concept 4.
As the detailed design has progressed, the City and its consultant have engaged with the third party utility companies (Enova Power, Enbridge Gas, Bell, Rogers, etc.) regarding relocation of their infrastructure in order to accommodate the reconstruction. The City has also begun preliminary property acquisition discussions with certain property owners. This process has indicated a need to alter the previously noted schedule. The current tentative schedule is:
- 2024: Utility relocation and preliminary works to accommodate full reconstruction
- 2025: Phase 1 reconstruction (King to Willow)
- 2026: Phase 2 reconstruction (Willow to Moore)
This schedule is still tentative and assumes a smooth property acquisition process in advance of utility relocation, as well as improvements to supply chain disruptions currently being experienced by the third party utility companies that affects the speed at which they can acquire certain equipment and supplies. It is currently anticipated that King to Willow will be Phase 1, however this could be switched to Willow to Moore. The phasing limits are subject to change depending on a number of factors such as design, utility relocation work, property acquisitions and approvals from external stakeholders including Keolis, Region of Waterloo, and Canadian National Rail (CN) that is beyond our control.
It is anticipated that the City will contact property owners in the coming months to begin property acquisition negotiations, where property acquisition is required. Residents may be contacted by the City’s real estate agent when this process starts.
