From now until fall, those driving to and from Paris this spring should plan ahead and give themselves some extra traveling time.
While the next phase of the Downtown Dig is set to begin on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, there are areas undergoing major roadwork as well.
As for why so much construction is happening all at once, the County of Brant website explains that infrastructure built in the mid-20th century is now reaching the end of its lifespan and needs to either be replaced or rehabilitated.
“With more homes being built and more people moving to Brant, we are upgrading the infrastructure to make sure the water, sewers, stormwater, fire services, intersections, roads and sidewalks can provide a high quality of service for residents, businesses and visitors,” the website stated. “The current infrastructure was in place to serve the population in Brant during the post-war boom in the 1960s. Since the 1960s, our community has grown significantly, placing more demand on existing infrastructure like water, wastewater, roads, intersections, fire service etc. and it is time to be replaced and upgraded to meet today and future needs.”
Because the construction season only runs from spring to fall, there’s only so much time to complete the necessary work to maintain existing roads and infrastructure while planning for the future.
The County’s website continues to explain that If the municipality were to put off replacing critical infrastructure, it could lead to service failures, costly emergency repairs, and economic impacts such as deterring investment and lowering property values. It could also result in increased operational expenses and insurance costs, and being unable to meet provincial requirements, potentially leading to significant fines and legal liabilities.
Areas expected to be affected by construction are as follows:
This work is taking place from Monday, March 30 to late summer and will affect Dundas Street East (eastbound lanes on the south side of the road), the north side of Paris Road, and Oak Park Road.
This work includes:
- Dundas Street E – Completing the tunneling for the watermain under the CN bridge.
- Dundas Street E, between Curtis Ave S to Paris Rd on the south side of the road – Completing the installation of watermain and services.
- Dundas Street and Paris Rd intersection – Relocating hydro poles.
- Dundas Street E (two south lanes) – Completing the road restoration, curbing and sidewalk.
- Paris Road – Complete installation of sanitary, storm sewers, watermain
- Paris Road to Oak Park Road – Completing the installation of sanitary forcemain.
- Oak Park Road to the railway tracks – Completing the installation of sanitary forcemain (not currently underway as of date of publication).
- Paris Road – Completing road restoration, curbing and some sidewalk
Traffic Impacts to expect during stage 2:
- Dundas Street E – Eastbound and westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane each, and eastbound traffic will be unable to make left turns onto Consolidated Drive.
- Governors Road E (near Tim Hortons) – Westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane and unable to make left turns onto Paris Road.
- Green Lane – Southbound traffic toward Paris Road will be unhindered.
- North side of Paris Road – Southbound traffic only, no northbound traffic permitted.
Detours can be found by visiting: municipal511.ca
Part of a multi-year project to replace critical infrastructure in Downtown Paris. This work resumes as of Wednesday, April 8 and is anticipated to end late summer or early fall.
Residents and visitors are reminded of the following information.
Road Closures:
- Grand River Street N, south of Charlotte Street to Mechanic Street.
- William Street, from William Street bridge to west of Grand River Street N.
- Grand River Street N and the William Street intersection.
Detours and Traffic Changes:
- Emily Street and Broadway Street W: temporary three-way stop.
- Emily Street: one-way westbound from Grand River Street N to Broadway Street E.
- Broadway Street E: one-way northbound from Broadway Street W to Charlotte Street.
- Charlotte Street: one-way eastbound from Broadway Street E to Grand River Street N.
Important Notes:
- Local traffic only – Grand River Street N south of Charlotte Street (though access to Paris Dental Centre and other parking lots will be maintained), and from Willow Street to the William Street bridge.
- No through truck traffic – use Paris West Bypass.
- Turning restrictions in place – No left hand turns onto King Edward Street from Dumfries Street.
- Pedestrian access maintained – North of Mechanic Street along Grande River Street North to the Pedestrian cross walk.
It should be noted that businesses in the area will remain open, and the County encourages the public to support local. Detours can be found by visiting: municipal511.ca
During the construction period, adjustments will be made at Paris Fire Station #1 to maintain service levels.
According to a Tuesday, April 7 news release, key changes include:
- Geographic response zones – Fire response coverage will be re-organized into two areas: Paris North and Paris South. This is intended to help improve response times by positioning emergency resources on both sides of the downtown construction zone, where traffic disruptions and road restrictions are expected.
- Updated response model – The current platoon response model will transition to a geographic-based deployment system. This change aligns with long-term planning and the anticipated opening of the Paris North Station in April 2027.
- Temporary apparatus relocation – Two fire emergency vehicles will be temporarily relocated to the Paris Fairgrounds to allow emergency crews to better navigate around construction-related congestion in the downtown core.
This work revolves around infrastructure renewal and watermain upsizing, and started on Monday, April 6.
2026 Main Street work includes:
- Installation of a new watermain at the Main Street and Washington Street intersection.
- New curb and gutter at the Main Street and Washington intersection.
- Installation of a new sidewalk on Main Street.
- Base asphalt repairs.
- Deficiency work.
- Topsoil and sod.
- Driveway reinstatement.
- Surface asphalt.
2026 Dumfries Street and Catherine Street work includes:
- Topsoil and sod
- Base asphalt repairs
- Deficiency Work
- Surface asphalt
Impacts include:
- Intersection disruptions – Main Street and Washington Street will be closed to through traffic for approximately eight to ten weeks.
- Road or sidewalk impacts – Local traffic only
- Detour routes – Will be posted, follow the signs.
- Parking – No on street parking during construction hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Access to personal driveways, services or amenities – If impacted, a door knocker will be provided in advance of the disruption. The County notes that parking outside of the construction zone between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. will ensure ease of access and movement of vehicles.
- Garbage – If impacted, the contractor will collect before 7 a.m. and move to pick up location.
- MTO Notice – Hwy 403 and Rest Acres Road Ramp Closures
The Ministry of Transportation manages highway maintenance across the province and has advised the County that there will be intermittent ramp closures at Rest Acres Road. This is set to occur from April 7 and 10, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
According to municipal511.ca (as of April 7), the closures will be taking place on the westbound on-ramps. Motorists should plan for delays if traveling in the area.
A County public notice stated, “We apologize for any inconvenience. The Ministry of Transportation manages highway maintenance across the province. Additional questions about this work can be directed to the MTO: mtoinfo@ontario.ca or by Phone: 1.800.268.4686 (select option 4).”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
