Year-long construction to begin on Richmond Street in downtown Toronto

Long-term roadwork is set to begin on Richmond Street in downtown Toronto this week, adding to a number of lane restrictions across the city.

Pylons line the stretch of Richmond Street West between Spadina Avenue and Bathurst Street where the construction is to start on Monday. The city will combine two car lanes and a bike lane as it works to replace a 143-year-old water main.

“It’s going to be a bit of a traffic headache for people — I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” said Brad Ross, the City of Toronto’s chief communications officer.

“This is aging infrastructure and this is what the city needs to do. It needs to maintain, repair, replace its infrastructure.”

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The first phase of the work between Spadina and Bathurst is planned to run through December, at which point construction is to shift to the stretch between Spadina and York Street.

Other closures include the westbound Gardiner Expressway ramp to Yonge, Bay and York streets, which is shut down for repairs until mid-September.

One lane in each direction of the Don Valley Parkway has been shut down since the beginning of July as crews upgrade bridges from Lawrence Avenue to Don Mills Road near Overlea Boulevard.

As well, the Crosstown LRT project has meant months of traffic backup along Eglinton Avenue from Kennedy Road to Weston Road.

To deal with all of the construction, Ross said residents should plan ahead, consider an alternate route and think about taking public transit.

The Richmond Street project, which will also include repairs to the road, cycle track and some sidewalks, is scheduled to end in summer 2020.

WATCH: Construction on Richmond Street begins, lane restrictions in effect

1:34 Construction on Richmond Street begins, lane restrictions in effect