Within days, Ion-related construction will prompt closures of parts of King and Charles streets in Kitchener.

Weather permitting, King will close Monday between Union and Wellington streets, to all vehicles except local traffic.

According to a spokesperson for the region’s rapid transit department, two-way traffic will be maintained in front of Grand River Hospital.

The rest of the stretch will see one or two lanes open for vehicles to get to and from nearby properties.

At the same time, Charles will close to through traffic between Benton Street and Borden Avenue.

The first stages of work in both areas will include the removal of trees, as well as demolition of the current roads and installation of temporary water mains.

About a week later, the Charles closure will be extended to Victoria Street.

In mid-April, a second midtown stretch of King – between Victoria and Moore Avenue – will be closed to all traffic.

Work to build a rail overpass will see that section of road closed until late 2016.

The suggested detour for drivers is along Weber Street, which was widened to four lanes – in a multi-year project that ended in 2014 – as part of preparations for the eventual work on King.

Grand River Transit’s 200 iXpress route will also be detoured along Weber for the duration of construction.

The 7 routes, which stop more frequently, will use Park Street and have access to Grand River Hospital.

“For some of our customers this is going to mean a longer walk; for some it’ll mean a shorter walk,” said Eric Gillespie, Waterloo Region’s director of transit services.

The region estimates that more than 20,000 riders use the detoured routes each day.

Notices have been posted at bus stops affected by the detours.

Information on future detours – such as later this year, when King’s closure is extended northbound to Erb Street – will be announced closer to the time.

Gillespie said the Charles Street bus terminal will remain open through construction, despite the closure of Charles itself.

“We’re still able to get into the Charles Street terminal, just using a variety of different detour routes,” he said.

The light rail transit system is expected to be running in Kitchener and Waterloo by the fall of 2017.