Water Street Infrastructure Project

The Water Street construction project between Ayre’s Cove and Clift’s Baird’s Cove will proceed as scheduled from April to June 2020, with a start date of April 6.

Occupational Health and Safety measures will be implemented based on the latest guidelines recommended for COVID-19.

Property owners and business owners in the construction area can contact the Water Street Business Liaison with questions or concerns.

A traffic detour will begin on Monday, April 6 and section of Water Street (Bishop’s Cove to Clift’s Baird’s Cove) will be converted to one-way for eastbound traffic, see attached map

The next phase of the Water Street construction project is set to start in early April 2020, between Ayre’s Cove and Clift’s Baird’s Cove. Property owners, business owners, employees and people who live in the area are encouraged to drop-in at their convenience to learn details about the next phase of work.

A drop-in information session is scheduled:

Thursday, March 12, 2020

10 a.m. to noon

Atlantic Place Atrium

215 Water Street

City staff, representatives from the engineering consultant, the City’s designated business liaison for the Water Street project and Downtown St. John’s staff will be there to answer questions and review the 2020 project plan.

For an outline of the scope of work for 2020, click here.

The City is planning for the next phase of the Water Street infrastructure project, set to start in spring 2020. The next phase of work will be between Ayre’s Cove and Clift’s Baird’s Cove. A public drop-in information session is scheduled:

Wednesday, Nov. 20

10 a.m. to noon

Rocket Room, Rocket Bakery

272 Water Street

City staff, members of council, representatives from the engineering consultant CBCL and the City’s designated business liaison for the Water Street Project will be in attendance.

Water street property owners, business owners and employees are encouraged to attend and lean about the impacts of the next phase of work.

As part of the Water Street Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project, there is some additional sewer investigation required. We expect the work to take place 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23 and Tuesday, Sept. 24.

To complete this work there will be rolling traffic interruptions and temporary loss of parking spaces.

The work will be completed by accessing manholes on Water Street from Queen Street to Prescott Street. There will be temporary loss of parking spaces at each manhole location for approximately 1-2 hours.

For safety reasons traffic will be stopped intermittently by flagpersons.

With the completion of the Water Street Construction project, traffic between Bishop’s Cove and Ayre’s Cove will return to two-way traffic on Wednesday, July 3 at 7:30 a.m.

Parking meters in the section of Water Street from Bishop’s Cove to Beck’s Cove have been removed during the sidewalk replacement. The City is temporarily installing signs to indicate a 2-hour timed parking restriction in this section of Water Street.

Timed parking zones are a short-term measure to encourage parking turnover. The City anticipates new parking meters and/or pay-stations will be installed this fall as part of a five-year Paid Parking Management Strategy.

The section of Water Street from Bishop’s Cove to Beck’s Cove will be equipped with signs to indicate to motorists that they are parking in a section with a time limit, see map.

The fine for parking longer than the timed parking restriction is $100. Enforcement for the 2-hour parking restriction will begin Thursday, July 4.

Downtown St. John’s customers and lovers are invited to participate in a new contest while the project is underway. It’s easy to participate and support downtown businesses. Check out the details here.

The second phase of the Water Street project has progressed well this spring and is on schedule to be completed on time. The final layer of asphalt and minor concrete work, which is weather dependent, is scheduled to be completed by June 30.

Downtown St. John’s, which represents the businesses in the area, have been promoting the importance of downtown during the project and encouraging people to show their support on social media with the #lovedowntown contest. Every week, a gift card for a business in the construction zone is awarded to a participant of the contest. The contest continues until July 12.

Water Street businesses, property owners and employees of downtown businesses are invited to attend a debrief session on Monday, July 29 from 11 a.m. to noon in the Foran/Greene Room, City Hall. Information shared will be considered during planning for Phase III in 2020.

A Water Street Stakeholder Committee including organizational representatives from all business sectors in the downtown have been actively engaged in planning, providing advice and guidance throughout the project.

You’ll notice some new colourful signs on Water Street as Phase II of the Water Street Infrastructure project begins on Monday, April 1st.

During the Phase I debrief there was a recognition of the need to focus on better pedestrian signage for Phase II. A Signage Committee was struck to work on the design and installation with a goal of letting everyone know that downtown is open for business and to guide people through construction.

Aside from the signs on street light poles placed outside the construction zone entry points, there will be entry signage (sandwich style) which lists the businesses on each side of the road within the construction zone. The signs mirror the existing #LoveDowntown and new #IDigWater twitter campaigns.

Due to Water Street construction Metrobus is advising passengers of the following:

There will be two bus stops affected:

STOP ID: 2180 - Water Street - # 240 (Credit Union) will be moved back by the BMO building. This is just before the buses will turn down Ayres Cove.

STOP ID: 2185 - Water Street - # 294 (Yellowbelly Brewery) will be moved to Harbour Drive opposite Jack Astors restaurant.

Construction can, at times, cause delays in service, but the issues will be minimized.