Here's what you need to know about King Street construction that begins today

A stretch of King Street in the city’s west end is about to become a massive construction zone as the city begins watermain and TTC track replacement work that is expected to take the better part of a year to complete.

Starting Tuesday, the city will begin construction work along King Street, between Dufferin and Shaw streets, to replace a 146-year-old watermain as well as aging streetcar tracks.

“This work is critical for maintaining public transit infrastructure and water services for residents in the area. Construction work will be completed over 10 months and is bundled into one project to save time and money and limit disruption,” the city said in a news release.

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The watermain work is expected to wrap up at the end of July, with crews working from Monday to Friday between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

One lane of traffic will be open in each direction around the “rolling work zone,” the city said.

The TTC track replacement work is scheduled to begin in May and will be completed in phases with full road closures in effect in the areas where the construction is underway.

From May to June, King Street will be closed between Dufferin Street and Fraser Avenue and from June to July, the intersection of King and Dufferin streets will be shut down. From August to September, King Street will be closed in both directions between Fraser and Atlantic avenues, and from September to October, King Street will be shut down between Atlantic Avenue and Shaw Street.

“From October to December, there will be intermittent lane closures while road restoration and overhead streetcar work are completed,” the news release read.

While the track replacement work is underway, construction will take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“The TTC needs to complete some rail installation work overnight to protect the integrity and quality of the new rails and concrete. The City and TTC have structured the hours of construction to minimize noise disruption,” the city said.

Some TTC routes will also be impacted by the lengthy construction projects, including the 63 Ossington, 501 Queen, 504/304 King, and 508 Lake Shore. A full list of the TTC diversions can be found on the TTC’s website.

“We appreciate that construction and route diversions can be challenging, and we are making every effort to ensure that customers are aware of the upcoming diversions, as well as know how to use alternate routes to get to their destinations,” TTC CEO Rick Leary said in a written statement.

“Customers can expect to see clear signage, dedicated TTC staff members on hand to answer questions, and information on our website and social media channels.”