More downtown road closures coming for watermain repairs in Brampton

More lane closures are coming to downtown Brampton as crews continue to tackle a month-long watermain and sewer system replacement.

Earlier this month, Region of Peel work crews began replacing the aging watermains and sanitary sewers in downtown Brampton, closing parts of Main Street and Queen Street to vehicle traffic for nearly a month.

And while the work is nearing completion, another round of lane closures will be coming in later this week.

Starting on Thursday, Main Street South will be closed from Queen Street to Wellington Street. One lane of northbound traffic will be left open on Main Street South from Queen Street to Wellington Street.

Buffy Lane will also not be accessible from Main Street South, with access from Queen Street West to Russell Lane. Loading zones on John Street, Queen Street East and Queen Street West will be available for deliveries and short-term parking.

John Street will also be converted back to a one-way street.

Peel Public Works says there will be police officers or a flag person on site to help direct traffic. The additional closures are expected to last until Friday.

The repairs and replacements are the latest in a string of construction projects downtown near the city’s Four Corners. With ongoing construction impacting local businesses, the city is launching a grant program to help business owners who are feeling the sting of construction-related worries.

The new pilot project is called the Downtown Construction Mitigation Grant, and is making $150,000 in grants available to businesses in the Downtown Brampton Business Improvement Area (BIA), with funding for the project coming from the city’s reserve funds.

Eligible businesses would include retail stores, restaurants and personal service businesses, while corporations like non-profits, real estate businesses, financial institutions like banks, and post-secondary institutions, among others will not be able to apply for funding.

If the grant program is approved, funding could be made available through 2025.