FAQs

As part of the City of Waterloo’s asset management and road rehabilitation programs, roadway, watermain and sewer improvements are planned for Teakwood Dr from Glen Forrest Blvd to Thorncrest Dr, Teakwood Pl from Teakwood Dr to the Cul-De-Sac, and Thorncrest Dr from west of Teakwood Dr to Glen Forrest Blvd. Subject to receipt of all technical and financial approvals, construction of this project is tentatively scheduled to occur from April 2023 to November 2023.

The specific improvements planned for Teakwood Dr, Teakwood Pl, and Thorncrest Dr include:

• Replace the existing sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and watermain to meet current capacity requirements and design standards.
• Replace the existing sanitary and water service laterals to each property from the new mains to the property line. 
• Replace the existing asphalt with a new 7.0m wide paved roadway and install new concrete curb and gutter and replace all existing sidewalks with new 1.8m wide concrete sidewalk.
• Replace all existing driveway ramp entrances within the municipal right-of-way to conform to current City standards.
• Restoration of disturbed areas with topsoil and sod.

All water service laterals for within the municipal right-of-way will be replaced with 25-mm (or existing) diameter polyethylene pipe from the watermain to the property line and all sanitary service laterals within the municipal right-of-way will be replaced with 100-mm (or existing) diameter PVC pipe from the sewer main to the property line. Should the property owner wish to further increase the size of their water or sanitary service lateral within the municipal right-of-way, the City will cover the base cost for the above-noted service lateral sizes and the remaining cost will be borne by the property owner. Please contact the City’s Project Manager for additional details. 

Any property owner wishing to have a larger-sized sanitary service lateral installed on their private property will be responsible for performing this work at their own expense following the completion of construction. Prior to completing this work, the property owner must obtain a permit under the Plumbing Code from the City’s Building department. 

The make-up of the existing streetscape will undergo a few changes. The travelled roadway’s width will be reduced slightly to accommodate the installation of new concrete curb and gutter. As a result of the width reduction of the travelled roadway, on-street parking which is currently permitted on both sides of each roadway, will now be permitted only on one side of each roadway (East and South side of Teakwood Drive, South side of Teakwood Place and North side of Thorncrest Drive). 

In addition to the on-street parking restriction on one side of the road, there will also be a small section on Teakwood Drive where parking will not be permitted on either side of the road. The section of road where no parking will be permitted will be at the bend on Teakwood Drive between #524 and #544 Teakwood Drive. The existing “knuckle” bump-out on Teakwood Drive will be removed to allow a consistent 7.0m wide roadway throughout. This project will include replacement of the existing 1.5m wide concrete sidewalks on Teakwood Dr and Thorncrest Dr with 1.8m wide concrete sidewalks. Light pole standards will be replaced with updated light pole standards to conform with current standard.

Existing utilities, such as underground hydro conduit, pad mount hydro transformer vaults, underground Bell/Rogers conduit and existing gas mains will remain as-is. Currently there are four (4) existing trees that are in poor condition and will be scheduled for removal prior to construction. Please refer to the plans for the location of the impacted trees. The existing vegetation in the cul-de-sac island on Teakwood Place will be removed and replaced with sod. The City may look for an opportunity to plant a tree in an appropriate location within the island. Further details will be confirmed at a future date. 

Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2023, pending Council approval, with work expected to be completed by the end of November 2023.

While all efforts will be made to maintain the proposed schedule, potential delays may arise due to weather conditions, unexpected subsurface conditions, or other events that are not within the control of the City or the Contractor.

A private contractor selected through the City’s public tender process will undertake the work. Representatives from the selected Contractor will be in attendance at the second public information centre to be held prior to construction in the spring of 2023.

Construction will generally be completed on weekdays between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. During construction activities, pedestrian access to private properties will be maintained at all times. Vehicular access to private properties on Teakwood Dr, Teakwood Pl, and Thorncrest Dr will generally be maintained while construction activities are ongoing.  Property owners/tenants are advised that, at certain times, vehicular access to private properties will be temporarily restricted while construction activities take place directly at the driveway. The Contractor and site inspector will provide advance notification to property owners/tenants prior to any temporary driveway restrictions so that suitable arrangements can be made. 

Sewer and water services will be generally 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 new mains. In the majority of cases, interruptions will be limited to several hours and will occur during normal working hours. Advance notification will be provided prior to any planned service interruption. If special requirements for these services are required, please contact us so that the timing of service disruptions can be planned accordingly. 

It is critical to the City of Waterloo that construction is completed while minimizing disruption to the abutting property owners and tenants. By nature, road reconstruction and sewer replacement is disruptive and at times will create noise, vibration due to compaction, and the potential for dust. To mitigate dust during construction, water and calcium chloride are periodically placed. 

During road reconstruction projects, the City occasionally finds that property owners have landscaped the City’s boulevard in some fashion. The boulevard is defined as the space between the edge of a roadway and the property line. Along Teakwood Dr, the property line is located approximately 4.8 metres to 9.0 metres behind the back edge of the existing edge of pavement. Along Teakwood Place the property line is located approximately 3.0 metres to 5.0 metres behind the existing edge of pavement. Along Thorncrest Dr, the property line is located approximately 5.0 metres behind the back edge of the existing edge of pavement.

The City’s By-Law to Regulate Work on Highways and Boulevards allows for property owners to alter the boulevard by planting herbaceous (i.e., non-woody) plants in the boulevard provided they are maintained at a height of less than 45 centimetres. However, the City notes that it is not responsible for the cost of reinstating these landscaped areas if they are disturbed as a result of infrastructure maintenance activities such as road and sewer rehabilitation. The City’s standard for boulevard reinstatement is topsoil and sod only. Property owners wishing to maintain any plantings will need to remove any plants they wish to keep prior to construction and notify the City’s Project Manager of plans for reinstatement. 

All non-herbaceous plants will be removed, and reinstatement will be prohibited.   Any landscape features that interfere with sightlines will also be removed and not reinstated.  Irrigation systems are specifically prohibited; the City will not reimburse property owners for damage to any irrigation system in the boulevard. Certain landscape features such as private retaining walls are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Property owners whose properties include these features either within or abutting the boulevard should contact the City’s Project Manager. 

Prior to construction, any required tree maintenance will be carried out. Specifications have been developed to mitigate damage to trees during construction.

Private waste collection will be maintained throughout the duration of construction. Property owners/tenants are advised that, at certain times, vehicular access to private properties will be temporarily restricted while construction activities take place directly at the driveway. The Contractor and site inspector will provide advance notification to property owners/tenants prior to any temporary driveway restrictions so that suitable arrangements can be made. When access is restricted by construction operations, property owners are to coordinate waste collection schedules with the Contractor and Site Inspector in order to minimize disruptions.

The City of Waterloo understands that construction activities will cause inconvenience to homeowners/tenants in the area and requests your cooperation and patience throughout the duration of this project. You are encouraged to contact the project team, either via email or this site, comments, concerns, or questions. In addition to project comments, the City encourages and appreciates input from residents regarding special needs, e.g., for those with mobility issues, concerns related specifically to water or sewer service improvements, driveway modifications, and concerns regarding private landscape works. This written record will assist the City in addressing issues related to the above-noted works.

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