City road construction to hit Stuart Street

If you work or have appointments anywhere on the east side of Kingston General Hospital, the sound construction has likely become the background soundtrack of your life. The good news is that the noise means progress, as construction crews work their way up George Street replacing the old underground sewer pipes.

The two-year project is a positive one for the hospital as it is providing brand new infrastructure we can hook-into for future phases of redevelopment. New separated storm and sanitary sewers will also lessen the chance of flooding during heavy rainstorms and patients and families will benefit from newly paved roads and sidewalks once the work is all complete.

“For a project of this size we are happy to note that it remains on schedule with very few hiccups,” says Rocky Prosser, Director of Protection Services. “We’re also very pleased that with the help of the City of Kingston and Taggart Construction, it has had very little negative impact on our patients and families. We have heard very few complaints and the ones we have heard have been addressed quickly.”

The next phase of the project will move off George Street and into the intersection of Stuart and George. Crews will dig down into the intersection to hook up the new sewers to the rest of the city infrastructure. The work on Stuart will last about a week.

“Because the intersection will be completely inaccessible for vehicles, Stuart will be closed to everything other than KGH and Queen’s University traffic. Access to all hospital entrances and parking lots will be maintained at all times,” says Prosser.

There will be signage and construction staff posted at both intersections to assist drivers and pedestrians and help guide them to their destinations.

The closure of Stuart was originally scheduled to begin this week, but according to Taggart, they have run into denser rock than expected at the north end of George Street.

“It has been pushed back by about a week, but we will provide notice to everyone who will be impacted when we receive a confirmed schedule,” says Prosser.

Some services will have to be altered when Stuart Street is closed, including new routes for Kingston Transit buses as well as the Richardson Stadium and Inter-Hospital Shuttles. When the work does begin, to access the main hospital entrance, parking garage and any other locations on the west side of George Street vehicles must enter Stuart Street via University Avenue/Lower University Avenue. To access any locations on the east side of George Street enter Stuart Street via Barrie Street.

For ongoing project updates, make sure to visit the construction project page www.kghconnect.ca/roadupdates or visit KGH Today on our intranet.