Several Ontario municipalities have announced plans to proceed with essential construction work this spring.

At its most recent council meeting, for example, the City of Thunder Bay awarded $15 million worth of contracts for construction on local roads, sewers and watermains. Projects awarded included:

• $4.75 million to Bruno’s Contracting for asphalt rehabilitation and road resurfacing for sections of a number of local roads,
• $2.55 million to Taranis Contracting Group for reconstruction of a section of Mount Forest Boulevard, and rehabilitation on sections of James and Kingston streets,
• $3.67 million to Nadin Construction for reconstruction of Tupper and Amelia streets, and
• $4.44 million to Makkinga Contracting for watermain and sanitary sewer construction along Syndicate Avenue and Brodie Street.

The City of Windsor announced that more than $100 million worth of road and sewer projects planned for the 2020 construction season would also go ahead. City engineer Mark Winterton said major projects are already underway on Huron Church Road, as well as on the Dougall Avenue underpass.

More work is expected to start soon, including rehabilitation work on E.C. Row near Central Avenue.

Winterton told CTV News that projects that would normally wait until the end of the school year to begin may be bumped up the priority list. One in particular would see road reconstruction and a reconfigured intersection at Dominion Boulevard and Northwood Street.

The City of Waterloo, meanwhile, is following the lead of nearby Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo in announcing $16 million worth of essential construction projects. One of those works will see grading and servicing to the extension of Platinum Drive in the city’s west end.

The city noted several key projects planned to start between now and the end of May:

• annual road resurfacing and concrete repair contracts
• condition assessment and sewer main spot repairs
• Atlantic Boulevard Trail (erosion stabilization)
• Moses Springer Trail (erosion stabilization)
• Royal Street reconstruction
• Longwood Drive/Moccasin Drive reconstruction
• Maple Creek rehabilitation
• Roosevelt Avenue reconstruction

Grimsby Council announced on April 20 that it had awarded two contracts for essential roadworks. The first, worth more than $600,000, was awarded to Associated Paving and Materials Ltd, for hot-mix road resurfacing.

The second, for watermain replacement on Central Avenue, Baker Road South, Robinson Street, Marlow Avenue and North Court, was awarded to Catalina Excavating for about $1.9 million.

Finally, Barrie has said it will put shovels in the ground on several projects this spring. Among them are the reconstruction of Dunlop Street, the Big Bay Point and Harvie roads bridge at Highway 400, Hotchkiss Creek culvert replacement at Innisfil Street, and the Mapleview Drive East watermain and sewer projects.

The city is seeking guidance on whether to proceed with other, smaller projects that have been approved under its $200-million capital budget for 2020.

Infrastructure-construction projects relating to road and sewer construction are among those essential services allowed to continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contractors are nonetheless expected to take all necessary precautions to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, including putting measures in place to promote physical distancing among workers and providing personal protective equipment.

Many cities have indicated that now is an especially good time to proceed with essential road construction works, given reduced traffic on city streets, and reduced impact to local businesses which may be closed.