Road closures and traffic delays, week ending Nov. 18, 2022

The following is a selection of the most significant road closures and expected traffic delays in and around the city of Kingston for the week ending Nov. 18, 2022. Full lists of closures and delays provided by the City of Kingston and the MTO can be viewed here and here.

At Front Road and King Street West from Sand Bay Lane to Country Club Drive, drivers should expect traffic delays due to lane reductions to a single lane in each direction, until the end of 2022, as crews install a new watermain and sanitary forcemain for Utilities Kingston.

Garrett Street from Division to University will be closed until Nov. 20 for the installation of water, sewer and storm services.

University Avenue will be closed from Union to Earl until Jan. 21, 2023, at 7 p.m. for the removal of debris from demolition and concrete deliveries at the Queen’s John Deutsch University Centre project. 

Wright Crescent from the south intersection of Palace to 16 Palace will be closed until Jan. 31, 2023, for construction staging for 11 Wright Cres. Please note that access to Wright Cres will be through the north intersection of Wright Cres at Palace Rd.

Nighttime Santa Parade 

The following road closures will be taking place on Nov. 19 for the annual Nighttime Santa Parade: 

• Princess Street – Sir John A. MacDonald to Ontario – closed from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
• Ontario Street – Princess to Johnson – closed from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
• Northbound Sir John A. MacDonald Blvd – Bath to Princess – closed from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. 

School Streets Initiative 

The following streets are closed from 8:40 to 9:10 a.m. and 3:20 to 3:50 p.m. weekdays until June 29, 2023: 

• MacDonnell Street – Earl to Hill 
• Sydenham Street – Ordnance to Colborne 

Please direct questions to Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation (KCAT) at [email protected].

Robert Bruce Garage Closure

• The Robert Bruce Memorial Parking Restoration project is underway. The work is expected to conclude in late November. 
• The work will take place throughout both levels of the building for structural rehabilitation and building envelope rehabilitation, upgrading of lighting and repair/replacement of railings and bollards. Both parking levels will be closed to the public for the duration of the project.  
• There is parking available at both the Chown and Hanson parking garages in the adjacent blocks to the east and west of the Robert Bruce. 

Upcoming Parking Lot Closures

The King Queen parking lot (282 Ontario Street) and a portion of the Drury lot (51 Queen Street) will be closed on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, due to the construction of a new mixed-use building beginning in November.

According to the City, the building at 18 Queen Street and 282 Ontario Street, known as Block 5, was recently approved by the Ontario Land Tribunal and is proceeding through Site Plan Control (File D11-022-2022). The future 23-storey tower and 5-storey podium building, to be developed by Homestead Land Holdings Inc., will provide commercial spaces at grade, two floors of new office space, and 151 new residential units in the downtown core for the Kingston community. The portion of the Drury lot that is closed will be used for construction staging. 

The City said that it has a range of parking options for short-term parkers throughout Kingston. Community members can access alternate parking options by visiting CityofKingston.ca/parking.? 

John Counter Blvd from Montreal Street to Ascot Lane

• An additional left turn lane on the east and west sides of the John Counter Blvd/Montreal St intersection will be opened. The advanced green light will remain bagged in the meantime. Follow the regular green light. 
• Causeway removal will continue. There will be an increase in dump truck traffic on the west side until completion in December.
• Access from John Counter to Village on the River Apartments is currently shut down until approximately the end of September. These residents were notified to use their Montreal St access during the temporary closure to John Counter. 
• Pedestrians will be able to use the temporary access path north of JCB which will be maintained at all times. 
• Cyclists will be single file on JCB. Proper construction signage for cyclists will be provided.
• Traffic signals at the intersection of Ascot Lane and John Counter Blvd will be operational when bridge is open in December 2022.

Highway 15 and Gore Road:

• Traffic signals at the intersection of Point St Mark at Gore Road will be operational in December 2022. 
• Access through the south leg of Point St Mark at Gore Road remains closed until December 2022.
• Removal of the causeway has begun on the east. There will be an increase in dump truck traffic on the east side until completion,

General Notes: 

• From the City: The Third Crossing Bridge from Ascot Lane to Point St Mark Drive is an active construction site. Trespassers are circumventing the site fencing and ignoring the signage that the road is closed. No public access is permitted until the formal opening occurs in December.
• Access to the Pittsburgh Library parking lot has been moved to the new entrance at Point St. Mark, and access to the Pittsburgh Library will be maintained at all times.
• The cycling and pedestrian signals have been activated to assist cyclists and pedestrians in crossing the road at Gore Road and Hwy 15 intersection.

The dates above will be subject to change depending on the weather.

Lower Brewers Swing Bridge – closed until further notice. Temporary bridge closure signs and detour signs have been installed. Parks Canada is continuing with their efforts to replace the bridge.