Road construction projects may affect your life or commute. Please be patient if work is scheduled to take place in your area. We apologize for the inconvenience.

On this page:

  1. Road construction and closures
  2. Safety tips
  3. On-site city staff and contact information
  4. Project time
  5. Construction hours and noise
  6. I live near a road under construction
  7. Pre-condition survey
  8. Fencing around worksite
  9. Potholes
  10. Blocked traffic
  11. Dust and fumes
  12. Vibrations
  13. Water shutdowns
  14. Landscaping and sprinklers
  15. Boulevards
  16. Curbside collection
  17. Deliveries
  18. Driveway access and parking
  19. Sidewalk access
  20. Trees on my street
  21. Property damage

Road construction and closures

Use these links to find:

Safety tips

When you're driving through a construction zone, please:

  • slow down and follow the signs - they include information about traffic conditions, road closures or detours
  • consider other routes - planning your route before you leave by using a navigation app or following traffic reports can help reduce construction frustration
  • watch for trucks and machinery turning and backing up

Consider these tips when walking or rolling through a construction zone:

  • use the designated sidewalk or walkway
  • ask for help to get around the construction area if you feel you are unable or uncomfortable
  • pay attention to your surroundings and be prepared for hazards and moving vehicles or machinery
  • be aware of your surroundings and avoid distractions like smartphones and GPS devices

Check current road closures in Kitchener

See construction projects

On-site city staff and contact information

During a construction project, there will be an on-site construction inspector. They will be wearing a white hard hat. You can ask them about the project or raise any concerns.

If you want to speak to someone from the city on the phone, call 519-741-2345.

Project time

Construction usually lasts from six to 18 weeks, depending on the scope and difficulty of the work. Severe weather or other factors may slow down the work.

Check our construction projects page for updates.

Construction hours and noise

Construction can take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Under rare circumstances, Construction could be permitted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Impacted residents will be notified in advance.

Road construction projects usually happen between Monday and Friday, but weekend work may be needed.

I live near a road under construction

If you live near a road construction project, you will get a letter in the mail before we start construction. This letter will include a list of contact information, including the project manager.

Pre-condition survey

We will send a pre-condition survey letter with the notice of construction. It is your responsibility to contact the third-party company to set up an appointment for the inspection.

Taking part in the pre-condition survey is voluntary. If there is any damage to your property from construction, this survey is helpful for property damage claims.

We also encourage you to take your own photo or video log before construction starts.

Fencing around worksite

Work sites are considered hazardous during construction, so we fence them off for your protection. Please do not enter these areas.

Potholes

We ask the contractor to fix any potholes or other hazards in the construction zone.

If you notice a pothole or hazard, speak to the on-site city staff or call us at 519-741-2345.

Learn more about potholes and how to report one in Kitchener.

Blocked traffic

Trucks will need to use the streets around the construction area. If you’re unable to access your home or business because of this, call us at 519-741-2345 or speak to the on-site city staff.

Dust and fumes

If needed, crews put down dust suppressant. However, a construction zone may cause more dust than expected.

If you feel that there is a large amount of dust, speak to the on-site city staff or call us at 519-741-2345.

Vibrations

Construction will cause vibrations. Please complete the pre-condition survey before the project starts in case of property damage.

We encourage you to remove any breakable items from your shelves or walls while construction is happening.

Watermain and service replacement

If watermain and water service connections are being replaced, we will extend a temporary water supply line to your house to ensure minimal service interruption.

Water shutdowns

Our contractors will try to give 24 hours’ notice for a watermain shut off. If they need to reschedule the planned shut off, you may lose water before or after the 24-hour notice.

If you have any questions, on-site city staff may have more information.

Landscaping and sprinklers

If you have any sprinklers, planters, hedges, lights or decorations within the road allowance, it’s your responsibility to remove them before construction starts.

If we damage a sprinkler system on private property during road construction, we will repair it.

At the end of a project, crews will work to restore landscaping that has been disturbed by road construction. This gives us an opportunity to improve the overall look and function of roadways. This may involve building stormwater systems or planting more trees.

Boulevards

Crews will re-sod any grassed areas that need repair at the end of a project. For 60 days after the sod is placed, our contractors handle watering and any maintenance including the first mowing needed for that sod. After 60 days, maintenance is the property owner’s responsibility.

We will tell property owners the relevant dates after placing the sod.

Curbside collection

Garbage, recycling and yard waste collection will continue, with the construction crews picking up your garbage instead of the usual waste removal crews.

For curbside collection, please:

  • use plastic bags when possible
  • clearly mark containers with your house number so we can get them back to you
  • put your containers out by 7 a.m. (at the latest) on your collection day

To make sure our crews collect your containers, we recommend putting out your containers the night before your collection day if possible.

Deliveries

We will ask you to outline your delivery needs so we can work to minimize the impact to businesses.

If you have alternate delivery locations, like a rear door or laneway, we ask that you use these areas to receive deliveries. Please coordinate after-hours deliveries with our contractors.

Driveway access and parking

You may lose access to your street and driveway while we’re doing construction. If you're affected this way, we’ll give you a parking permit for a nearby side street.

Sidewalk access

If a concrete sidewalk isn’t available due to construction, the contractor will create a level, gravel surface for pedestrians.

We will replace sidewalks after construction is finished. Please avoid newly poured sidewalks until they are completely dry.

Trees on my street

Before we start construction, staff will take inventory of the city trees on the street and their condition.

We will remove any trees that are:

  • unsafe
  • showing significant decline
  • of poor quality
  • in major conflict with the work being done

We will protect healthy trees. Staff will also look for places to plant new trees. We will try to minimize damage to trees or other vegetation.

Property damage

You can file a claim for vehicle, home or property damage that came from road construction.