Moore Avenue South reconstruction

Given the proximity of Moore Avenue construction to Ellizabeth Ziegler School, changes to the student drop off/pick up locations are required to maintain safe passage.

• No vehicle access to Moore Avenue between Allen Street and Erb Street during May.
• No vehicle drop off/pick up on Allen between Willow and Devitt.
• School parking lot will be closed to pick up/drop off from 8:40 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. and 3 to 3:40 pm.

Drivers are asked to use the designated park and walk locations:

• Devitt Avenue, both sides, between Erb St. and Allen St. (3 min walk time)
• Allen Street, both sides, between Devitt Ave. and Weber St. (3 to 5 min walk time)
• Dover Street, both sides, between Erb St. and Allen St. (3 min walk time)
• Dover Street, west side, between Allen St. and Union St. (3 min walk time)
• Cornwall Street, both sides, between Dover St. and Weber St. (3 min walk time)
• Bristol Street, both sides, between Dover St. and Weber St. (3 min walk time)
• Rodney Street, both sides, between Dover St. and Weber St. (3 min walk time)
• Union Street, north side, between Moore Ave and Weber (5 min walk time)
• John Street East, south side, between Willow St. and Moore Ave. (3 min walk time)

Safety during construction is paramount! It is vital we all do our part to ensure safety within the construction zone and the surrounding community.

Safety tips and reminders:

• Construction vehicles can move suddenly and quickly. Stay alert and be mindful of where you're going.
• Keep to the sidewalks where available, and only cross through the construction in designated areas.
• Give yourself extra time to navigate the construction and changes.
• Keep far away from open sites and active construction vehicles. Don’t assume workers know you are there!

Included in the Project Library is a downloadable copy of the Construction Map 1 that has been provided to all Elizabeth Ziegler families in advance of the construction. Look for an updated map in June as the construction progresses.

We appreciate your continued cooperation as we work to renew public infrastructure on Moore Avenue South.

Notice of Construction and Public Information Meeting 2

The City of Waterloo will be holding a Public Information Centre (PIC) to provide information for local residents regarding the planned reconstruction of Moore Avenue in 2024. Meeting details:

Date: Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Place: Elizabeth Zeigler School – Gymnasium

90 Moore Avenue S., Waterloo

This second PIC will be attended by the City’s engineering consultant, GM Blueplan, the contractor hired for this project, Network Sewer and Watermain (Network), and representatives from the City to answer questions.

The purpose of the PIC is to allow residents to view the final designs and ask questions about the construction process. If you have not already done so, please contact the City’s project manager regarding any mobility or medical challenges you may have to ensure that accommodations can be made. Without this information, decisions may be made during construction that favour expediency over access, based on the assumption that special accommodations are not needed.

Construction is anticipated to commence on or about May 1. Updates during construction may be posted on Engage Waterloo at various intervals or prior to key events. Please ensure you are signed up to receive updates from Engage Waterloo when posted.

Prior to the start of construction you will be contacted by a company retained by Network to conduct a pre-construction condition assessment of your property. This survey will include visual inspection and photography of various interior and exterior features of your home to determine pre-construction conditions in the unlikely event that damage is caused during construction. Please contact the inspection company as soon as possible to schedule an inspection as the timing window is small.

Once construction starts, the typical work hours will be 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. During the initial days of construction, residents may have roadway access when the contractor is not working directly in front of your driveway. Once the initial setup work is complete the contractor will remove the roadway asphalt and curbs and begin replacing underground infrastructure. During working hours and occasionally overnight, the roadway will be closed and residents will need to park their vehicles on nearby streets. Overnight access restrictions are more prevalent near the end of construction when new curb, sidewalk and driveway aprons (bottom section) are installed due to the drying time needed for concrete. Residents will be provided with two parking passes per household. The parking pass allows for parking on nearby streets for longer than 3 hours or overnight. All other parking rules still apply. For more information on parking rules please refer to the City’s Traffic and Parking bylaw on the City’s website:

https://www.waterloo.ca/en/living/traffic-and-parking-bylaw.aspx

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this project and cannot attend the PIC, please contact the City’s Project Manager.

At the public meeting on December 8, 2023, residents expressed concerns regarding the proposed removal of weekday parking on Moore Avenue between Erb and Allen Streets. City staff have reviewed and will change this proposal to keep the parking as it is now with parking permitted on the west side of the street. See below for updated anticipated parking on Moore Avenue:

• Between Erb Street and Allen Street (East side): No stopping anytime.

• Between Erb Street and Allen Street (West side): 3-hours free parking, no overnight parking permitted.

• Between Allen Street and Union Street (East side): No stopping anytime.

• Between Allen Street and Union Street (West side): No stopping Monday to Friday, 8 - 9:00 a.m. and 3- 4 p.m.

• School bus loading zones on the east side, within the new lay-by areas, or as identified by the school and Student Transportation Services Waterloo Region.

• No stopping anytime within 9 m of each intersection.

Thank you to everyone who made it out to the public information centre meeting last night at Elizabeth Ziegler Public School. For those who were unable to attend, the presentation boards and information booklet have been uploaded to the project library for residents to read and review.

The project team will be reviewing comments submitted at the meeting. Additionally, some residents submitted questions about alternative options. The project team will be reviewing those ideas and will discuss internally with the required groups. Responses will be posted in a newsfeed post on this page when ready. If you haven’t already done so, please sign up for email notifications when this page is updated.

The City of Waterloo and it’s engineering consultant for this project, GM Blueplan Engineering, is hosting a Public Information Centre (PIC) so local residents can ask questions or provide information regarding the planned reconstruction of Moore Avenue in 2024. Subject to approvals, construction is tentatively scheduled to occur from spring 2024 to late 2024. The construction limits are shown in Figure 1. PIC details are as follows:

Date: Thursday December 7, 2023

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Place: Elizabeth Ziegler Elementary School

90 Moore Avenue S., Waterloo

This informal meeting provides interested residents an opportunity to review the preliminary design plans, ask questions of City and engineering consultant staff, and learn more about the overall project scope and schedule.

The City encourages all interested residents to attend the PIC and learn how to receive further information about the project prior to construction. Residents should be aware that vehicular access to both the roadway and private properties is often restricted during construction activities. Construction will be completed under “road closed – local access only” conditions and primarily between 7 am and 7 pm.

Residents with special needs including mobility issues, those who require frequent deliveries or frequent access to their property, or similar requirements, are encouraged to attend to begin discussions regarding accommodation. If attendance is not possible, please contact the City’s Project Manager (contact information below) at your earliest opportunity. The Contractor and site inspectors will attempt to accommodate residents to the best of their ability while not compromising the safety of the construction zone. However, certain circumstances may require additional discussion and planning; advanced notification allows for alternative arrangements to be made.

Meeting discussion topics often include:

• Identifying trees that may be removed.
• Alternative parking when access to the road and/or private driveways is restricted.
• City standards for replacing sanitary and water service pipes.
• Measures to mitigate impacts to landscaped features on private property.
• Waste collection and mail delivery procedures during construction.
• City standards for replacement of driveway accesses within the municipal right-of-way and measures to be implemented to mitigate impacts to private driveways.
• Potential requirements for access to private property in order to replace water and sanitary service laterals and associated disturbances.
• City policy regarding boulevard areas with landscaping completed by residents.

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this project and cannot attend the PIC, please contact the City’s Project Manager.

The City of Waterloo has approved the reconstruction of Moore Avenue South from Erb Street East to John Street, with construction scheduled to start in the Spring of 2024. The City has selected GM BluePlan Engineering Limited to provide design and contract administration services for the reconstruction project. The map below shows the approximate limits of reconstruction.

As part of the reconstruction, all underground municipal infrastructure will be replaced, including sanitary sewer, storm sewer, watermain and sanitary and water services up to the common property line. Surface works will include new concrete curb and gutter, new sidewalks and a new pavement structure. Areas disturbed by construction, such as walkways, driveways and grassed areas, will be restored to City standards. Please note that the City standard for boulevards within the public right-of-way is topsoil and sod. Private landscaping by residents within the public portion of the boulevard will not be replaced by the City.

GM BluePlan will be in the area during the period of June 19 to July 7, 2023 to complete a topographic survey for the project. The survey will include the frontage of your property as well as the street. The purpose of this survey is to obtain surface elevation data and locate existing features (trees, gardens, steps, walkways, retaining walls, etc.) for preliminary study and engineering design. The surveyors should not interfere with your regular activities and will identify themselves if you have questions.

Additionally, a separate consultant will complete a geotechnical soils investigation in accordance with provincial regulations. This work will likely only take one to two days and will generally only block small sections of roadway and boulevard. The work shouldn’t present a major inconvenience to mobility. However, the equipment used can make short, high-pitched bursts of noise which residents should be prepared for.

The City will provide various notices and updates prior to and during construction. Prior to construction residents will be invited to two in-person Public Information Centre’s (PIC’s). The first PIC will provide information on the proposed design. The second PIC will provide more information on what to expect during construction and provide an opportunity to meet the contractor.

Where possible the City will make efforts to minimize the amount of disruption to your day-to-day activities; however, major reconstruction projects such as this will inevitably result in some disruptions. Please note the following important information at this stage:

Notify the City’s Project Manager if you have any mobility challenges

During construction, driveway access is generally unavailable during working hours (7am to 7pm). Sidewalks will be maintained to the extent feasible when driveway access is not available. However, there will be times when even sidewalk access is impacted. Knowing any existing challenges in advance will help plan for specific needs.

Hold off replacing driveways or walkways

Construction will result in the ends of driveways and walkways being removed and patched at the end of construction. Waiting to replace driveways and walkways until after construction will avoid the need to cut into new pavement.

Image showing asphalt driveway that has been patched next to the sidewalk following construction.
Image showing a concrete driveway that has been patched next to the sidewalk following construction