Diggin' Downtown Huntsville

JOINT RELEASE - Read the update on our website.

(Huntsville, ON) We’re getting ready to start Diggin’ Downtown Huntsville with road closures for construction starting this week.

River Street will be fully closed starting Wednesday, March 10 to allow crews to move machinery into the construction zone. Full Stage 1 road closures and detours start the morning of Friday, March 12, 2021 and will continue until the end of May 2021. Dufferin Construction crews will begin to install fencing along the Main Street to secure the Stage 1 construction zone, impacting some parking spaces.

The Diggin’ Downtown project is made up of 5 construction stages. Stages 1-4 will span an estimated 8 months this year, with the fifth and final stage in the spring of 2022 to wrap up all construction activities. All downtown businesses will remain open during construction, and pedestrian and business access will be maintained throughout all project stages.

Stage 1 restrictions will be in place until the end of May and will concentrate on work to the Muskoka River Swing Bridge, and underground water and sewer replacement along Main Street to Brunel and River Street.

Stage 1 – Road Closures – Friday, March 12, 2021 to End of May, 2021

• Active construction will take place on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to Brunel Road
• Active construction will take place on the Muskoka River Swing Bridge
• Active construction will take place on River Street from High Street to Main Street
• Main Street from Brunel Road to West Street will be used for the storage of construction material purposes only, and will be closed to traffic

Stage 1 - Detour Routes

• Westbound and eastbound traffic will detour north of the construction area – Chaffey Street and West Road and Centre Street
• Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way

The Town of Huntsville in coordination with partners have created the website page Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown to be the community’s source for construction news, timelines, detour information, maps and resources to assist residents, businesses and organizations for the duration of the project.

The Town of Huntsville and the District of Muskoka will continue to keep the community informed regarding the construction project at Huntsville.ca/diggindowntown and EngageMuskoka.ca and through all project partner social media accounts.

Diggin’ Downtown, Huntsville’s Streetscape project is funded in part by the Federal Gas Tax Fund. The Town of Huntsville is using $606,952 of Federal Gas Tax Funds for the Main Street Project.

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February 9, 2021: Diggin' Downtown - Construction Update

The “Diggin’ Downtown” project will commence March 1, 2021, to address aging underground water and sewage infrastructure. Directional signage and equipment will be moved onsite with the anticipated road closure on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to West Street. The Diggin’ Downtown project will consist of a total of 5 Stages with the first 4 Stages of construction spanning an estimated 8 months this year and a final Stage to wrap up all construction activities in the spring of 2022.

Stage 1 restrictions will be in place from March until the end of May and will concentrate on work to the Muskoka River Swing Bridge, and underground water and sewer replacement along Main Street and River Street.

Stage 1 – Road Closures - Map

• Active construction will take place on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to Brunel Road
• Active construction will take place on the Muskoka River Swing Bridge
• Active construction will take place on River Street from High Street to Main Street
• Main Street from Brunel Road to West Street will be used for the storage of construction material purposes only, and will be closed to traffic

Stage 1 - Detour Routes - Map

• Westbound and eastbound traffic will detour north of the construction area – Chaffey Street and West Road and Centre Street
• Traffic travelling north or south will be directed between Brunel Road and Centre Street, along Veterans Way

What's Being Done in Stage 1

• Muskoka River Swing Bridge upgrades, bridge rehabilitation and repairs, new bridge driving surface
• Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on Main Street from the Muskoka River Swing Bridge to Brunel
• Underground water and sewer infrastructure replacement on River Street from High Street to Main Street
• New sidewalks, boulevards and parking spaces with streetscaping elements

During construction downtown, all businesses will remain open. Pedestrian and business access will be maintained throughout all project stages.

The project includes, but isn’t limited to:

• Swing Bridge repairs and rehabilitation
• New swing bridge driving surface
• New sanitary system
• New storm system
• New and upgraded watermains
• New traffic signals
• New traffic lights
• New pedestrian crossings
• New sidewalks
• New landscape features
• New road alignment and parking configurations
• New road surface
• New Town Hall ramp