Public Information Centre #2

Due to COVID-19, a formal in person Public Information Centre (PIC) will not be held on these construction details. Instead, the City has prepared this information that was mailed to residents at the end of March. The information is also available for download.

Dear: Resident/Owner/Tenant

The intent of this Public Information Centre #2 is to inform you of the ultimate design decision reached for the Brighton Street Reconstruction and to provide information related to the upcoming construction activates.

Due to COVID-19, a formal in person Public Information Centre (PIC) will not be held. In absence of the PIC, the City has prepared this information package detailing general project information during reconstruction. In addition to the material contained in the information package, and any other documents that would typically be presented at the PIC, such as the technical designs, will be posted starting April 5^th, 2022 on the Engage Waterloo project website: (https://www.engagewr.ca/brighton-street).

Scope of Works

The following figure shows the scope of reconstruction works that will be completed:

The works on Brighton Street will include replacement of all existing sewer mains, watermains and service laterals and full road reconstruction including concrete curb, sidewalk and asphalt roadway. The existing sanitary and water service laterals will be replaced from the new mains to the property line. In addition, the works will include replacement of driveway ramps, and restoration of all disturbed areas.

Proposed Sidewalk

As per City policy, the existing sidewalk will be replaced with a new 1.8m wide sidewalk has been included in the reconstruction works.

Construction Details

Who will be doing the work?

A private contractor, Sousa Concrete, selected through the City’s public tender process will undertake the work (pending approval by the City of Waterloo Council).

When will the works begin and how long will they take?

Weather permitting, construction will commence on or about April 11th of 2022, with substantial completion by approximately August 1, 2022.

How will the reconstruction affect me?

In order to carry out this work, it will be necessary to close Brighton Street to non-local traffic. During road reconstruction, access to private property may be possible, but it will be at your own risk, as you will be traveling through a construction zone. During times that there is not access to your property, or if you do not wish to travel through the construction zone, alternate arrangements should be made for parking. Access to all properties within the construction area will be maintained as long as possible. When it becomes necessary to completely close off the street(s) to residential traffic, on-street parking permits will be issued by the City, allowing residents to park according to posted regulations on adjacent side streets. Permits can be obtained from the on-site inspector. Despite the overnight parking permits issued, residents are also still required to adhere to all other existing parking restrictions (i.e. don’t block driveways, no parking in front of fire hydrants, no parking where parking is already prohibited, etc.). The contractor will provide notice as to when access to your property will be limited and these times will be minimized as much as possible.

The existing sidewalk is to remain in place for as long as possible.

Will sanitary sewer and water services be interrupted?

Sewer and water service will be maintained throughout the duration of construction. However, short interruptions can be expected, particularly when the services to individual properties are transferred from existing mains to the new mains. In the majority of cases, interruptions will be limited to a few hours and will occur during normal working hours. Advance notification will be provided where possible prior to any planned service interruption. During watermain reconstruction, a temporary above ground watermain may be installed. Each property will be connected from the temporary main to the curb stop at your property line. Access onto your property may be required to provide the temporary connection.

How will disruptions be minimized?

One issue of critical importance to the City of Waterloo is to have the work completed while minimizing disruption to the neighbourhood. Road reconstruction and underground servicing is disruptive and at times will create noise, vibration due to compaction and a potential for dust. To address these disruptions, water and calcium chloride are used for dust control and construction activity is limited to daylight hours between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Surface features existing on City property

On some reconstruction projects we find that residents have constructed gardens, shrubs, hedges, retaining walls, and fences within the City road allowance. This is usually not a problem unless the existing services are below that particular feature, if there is a grade change, or if the roadway changes. In this case you will be asked to relocate the garden, hedge, etc. onto your property prior to construction taking place.

Will blue box, green bin and garbage collection be affected?

Blue box, green bin and garbage collection will be maintained throughout the duration of construction. When access is restricted by construction operations, the construction crew will place the blue boxes and refuse containers at a location accessible by the collection service on collection days.

To minimize problems during construction, it would be appreciated if all refuse is bagged – Yard Waste in paper bags, Household Garbage in plastic bags. Please ensure that your address is clearly marked on containers / blue boxes.

How will this affect private features, and what about vibrations?

Please note, prior to the start of construction, the property owner is responsible for the removal of private features that they wish to be saved, that are located within the road allowance. This includes, but is not limited to, landscaping features (decorative stones, plants), lights, and sprinkler systems. The property owner is also responsible for the reinstatement of these once construction is complete.

Building occupants will likely feel some vibrations during the routine operation of construction equipment; however, studies have shown that the vibrations to be experienced are much less than the vibration level required to cause structural damage. We do recommend that you remove light, fragile or delicate objects from shelves when construction activity is taking place adjacent to your property.

In ground sprinkler system

If you have a sprinkler system installed along the edge of the roadway within the City’s road allowance, please remove the piping prior to construction as the Contractor will not be responsible for damage and the City will not replace it. You may have it reinstalled on private property after construction is completed if you wish.

Pre-Construction Survey

A pre-construction survey of the homes directly adjacent to construction activities will be completed before construction begins. This survey will include the visual inspection and photographing of the foundation and other exterior features of your home to establish baseline conditions in the unlikely event that damage is caused during construction. The Contractor will contact individual homeowners separately to arrange property access.

What is being done to ensure workers and members of the public are safe?

The contractor will employ policies and procedures to protect the health and wellness of workers and the community in general as part of the contractor’s Health and Safety Plan. The contractor will adjust these policies and procedures in accordance with relevant Federal, Provincial and Regional guidelines related to the COVID-19 pandemic issued at any given time. At a minimum, there will be sanitation measures in place, physical separation will be maintained whenever possible and additional personal protective equipment (PPE) will be used, if required. Any workers that have symptoms, or are otherwise not feeling well, will be required to stay home and advised to follow current public health procedures. Interactions between workers and the public will generally not be required in order for them to perform their activities. Where direct communications with the public are necessary, workers will follow policies and procedures that align with current guidelines in place at that time.

All workers are expected to maintain physical distance and use appropriate personal protective equipment if they need to be closer than two metres. We remind everyone that staying as far away from work areas as possible is always a good idea. We would especially like to remind parents and caregivers that children must avoid playing around the worksite. The contractor will be reminding anyone who gets too close to the work area to keep a safe distance away.

For construction, will anyone need to access my home?

As much prior notice as possible will be provided and necessary arrangements will be made to complete the work in a manner consistent with current health and safety requirements. The Contractor and/or their Sub-Contractors will not need to access the interior of your homes, but will need access to your property for the completion of the following works:

• Pre-construction survey (all homes and businesses)

Should you receive a request from a contractor to access your home and you have concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the city’s Project Manager.

Will emergency vehicles be able to access my home or business during construction?

Yes. Traffic restrictions and closure requirements along Brighton Street will vary as the project progresses. Measures will be in place to maintain emergency access at all times. Emergency Services will be advised in advance of specific requirements for all projects.

Will there be noise during construction?

We understand that many people are currently home with their families and also may be working from home. As with all construction activity, please anticipate some noise and vibrations. The contractor is generally permitted to work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Monday to Saturday.

What if a member of my household has specific needs during construction?

If someone in your home has physical disabilities or special needs for accessing your property, please contact the Project Inspector on site, or the City’s Project Manager so we can help ensure access is maintained where and when possible.

Will deliveries be impacted?

Deliveries may be impacted by the work. All owners are asked to communicate any specific delivery needs to the Project Inspector, whether regular or special deliveries, in order to coordinate the safe and efficient delivery of goods.

How can I provide comments?

Comments can be emailed, or phoned in, to the contacts below or through the online comment form.

Special Message for the Public

Given that the COVID-19 pandemic is continuously evolving, future updates will be provided via the news and notices page on the City’s website. If you do not have internet access, please call the City’s project manager. If you have any further questions or concerns about the project, please contact the City’s Project Manager.

We appreciate your time, interest and cooperation in this project. Please contact the undersigned should you have any further questions, comments or concerns.

Sincerely,

Mike Lupsa, P.Eng.
Senior Project Engineer – Design and Construction
Engineering Services
Integrated Planning & Public Works
Waterloo City Centre
100 Regina Street South
P.O. Box 337, Station Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4A8
Phone: (519) 866-1550 Ext. 78248
Email: mike.lupsa@waterloo.ca

Patrick Grier, P.Eng.
Contract Administration
GM BluePlan Engineering
330 Trillium Drive, Unit D
Kitchener, ON N2E 3J2
Phone: (519) 748-1440 Ext. 4205
Cell: (519) 226-755-2899
Email: Patrick.grier@gmblueplan.ca

Glenn Anderson, C.E.T
Project Manager
GM BluePlan Engineering
330 Trillium Drive, Unit D
Kitchener, ON N2E 3J2
Phone: (519) 748-1440 Ext. 4201
Fax: (519) 748-1445
Email: glenn.anderson@gmblueplan.ca

Austin Louwagie
Site Inspector
GM BluePlan Engineering
Cell: (519) 444-8960
Email: Austin.louwagie@gmblueplan.ca