Students, meet construction zones.
Construction zones, meet students.
Every Labour Day weekend brings high levels of traffic to parts of Waterloo as thousands of students return from their summer vacations – but there’s a new wrinkle in place this year.
Ongoing construction work has lane reductions in effect on University Avenue between Weber Street and Highway 85 – and the expressway off-ramp is closed at University entirely.
With the normal route for out-of-town traffic inaccessible, officials with the city and both schools are hoping drivers pay attention to signed alternate routes.
“The main detour that people are directed toward is off at Bridgeport, and then up Weber Street,” says Ryan King, the University of Waterloo’s manager of off-campus living.
To help with the massive influx, Lester and Spruce streets will be converted to one-way during daytime hours Sunday and Monday.
Bylaw officers and volunteers will also be around the campuses to direct traffic, while city officials will respond to queries via Twitter.
“What we’re asking students and families to do is to be patient, to work with us, and we’re going to try and get everybody here and through the registration and check-in processes as quickly as possible,” says Sheldon Pereira, Wilfrid Laurier University’s manager of residence life.
“Leave early if you need to. Come late if you need to. The most important thing is to get here safely.”
Planning for the perhaps-more-confusing-than-usual move-in weekend began back in the spring.
In June, incoming University of Waterloo students were given a mail-out explaining the road closures and providing the alternate route.
It’s estimated that 9,000 students will arrive in Waterloo over the course of the weekend.
