Pending closure of Parkside Dr between highway 6 and Clappison Ave
The City of Hamilton intends to temporarily close Parkside Dr between highway 6 and Clappison Ave, starting in early April, for approximately two months.
Through a permit issued by the provincial Ministry of Transportation, the City’s contractor will be installing the watermain and sewer system infrastructure necessary for Waterdown’s new Police & Fire compound. To do so, a four-metre-deep trench must be dug across the entire width of the street. Driveway access for impacted property owners will be maintained throughout the project. Read the City’s press release here.
The detour will function as follows:
Driving west on Parkside Dr, traffic will be detoured to Dundas St via Clappison Ave.
Coming from highway 6 (in either direction), traffic will use Dundas St and turn left onto Clappison Ave.
At Clappison and Parkside, vehicles can turn right onto Parkside and continue traveling east.
Transportation staff are aware that Parkside Dr is currently functioning as a key alternate route related to the Grindstone Creek bridge work. Though I know this to be necessary and required work in support of our new public safety infrastructure, this closure will undoubtedly have an impact on the community.
My office has asked staff for considerable signage to be placed on Parkside Dr, as well as on highway 6. Further, I have requested staff develop and execute an effective communications plan, in order to inform the community, as well as the businesses and medical centre along Clappison Ave.
In addition, I asked staff to consider accommodating a lane closure, as opposed to a road closure. Unfortunately, this will not be feasible. Due to the narrow road cross-section, existing roadside culverts, and the requirement to excavate across the entire roadway to a depth of approximately four metres, keeping a single lane open won’t be possible.
City inspectors are aware of the expediency in which the project needs to be completed. The traffic in Waterdown is highly impacted at present with Waterdown Rd still under construction (by the City of Burlington) until December 2026, and the Grindstone Bridge project reducing the bridge crossing to one lane likely continuing into fall. As Parkside serves as the detour route for westbound traffic, closing the connection to highway 6 will be problematic for motorists and could result in potential vehicle infiltration of side streets. Transportation staff will be monitoring traffic conditions during construction and will adjust signal timing and traffic operations if required.
Questions and concerns related to the closure can be directed to Ken Pirhonen, Manager Strategic Planning, Capital & Compliance via Ken.Pirhonen@hamilton.ca.
