Projects and Initiatives

Exeter Main Street South Reconstruction

Overview

This project is located north of the downtown core of Exeter, from the Ausable River bridge to Victoria Street and is a full reconstruction project.

Work involves replacement of existing roadway, curbs, sidewalks, storm sewers, sanitary sewers and watermain, including upgrades such as AODA compliant sidewalk ramps, as part of an MTO approved Connecting Link project.

Contact

Don Giberson
General Manager of Infrastructure and Development 
Phone: 519-235-0310 x 226
Email: dgiberson@southhuron.ca 

Project Status:

Project has been designed, tendered and a construction contract awarded.

Project Approval

At the October 21, 2024 Council Meeting, Council authorized the submission of an application to the 2025-2026 (Intake 10) Ministry of Transportation Connecting Links Program for Reconstruction of Main Street South (Ausable River to Victoria Street).

On January 27, 2025 correspondence was received from the Minister of Transportation confirming that our grant application for the 2025-2026 (Intake 10) Connecting Links grant funding program was successful. The Minister also confirmed that the Municipality is eligible up to the Ministry’s maximum contribution of $3,000,000.

Project Background

In 2025, the Municipality of South Huron received a $3,000,000 Connecting Link grant from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to fund 90% of the road and storm sewer work on Main Street South. The balance of the funding for sanitary sewer and watermain work is from Municipal Capital Replacement Reserves.

Frequently Asked Questions

The construction project will be constructed in three phases in 2026, with the final layer of surface asphalt being placed in 2027.

The first phase of the construction project is scheduled to begin after the Easter weekend; and is expected to take one week to complete.

·         The first phase will be the replacement of sanitary sewers, storm sewers, and watermains in the intersection of Main Street and Church Street. This will require a full road closure to complete the work. The intersection will be re-paved before reopening the roadway.

The second phase of the construction project is scheduled to begin immediately after completion of phase 1 and is expected to be completed by September 2026.

·         The second phase of the project is the reconstruction of the west side of Main Street (Ausable River bridge to Victoria Street), with replacement/installation of a sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and installation of new curb, sidewalk, and base asphalt. Southbound traffic will be detoured to William Street and northbound traffic will be shifted to the east side of Main Street during this phase (one lane only).

The third phase of the construction project is scheduled to begin immediately after completion of phase 2 and is expected to be completed prior to the end of 2026.

·         The third phase of the project is the reconstruction of the east side of Main Street (Ausable River bridge to Victoria Street), with replacement of the watermain, and installation of new curb, sidewalk, and base asphalt. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Andrew Street and southbound traffic will be shifted to the west side of Main Street during this phase (one lane only).

Like all construction projects, delays are expected during peak construction periods. The project team is committed to providing ongoing communication about the project to alleviate the impact of construction as much as possible.

To alleviate the volume of truck traffic during construction, a truck detour will be set up on Kirkton Road, Morrison Line and Thames Road to divert heavy trucks around the construction area.

Access to all businesses will be reasonably maintained during construction.

Local businesses are open and will continue to serve your needs throughout this project. Whether you live, work, or visit the area, your support for local business goes a long way!

Contact Us

The Municipality of South Huron
322 Main Street South, P.O. Box 759
Exeter, ON N0M 1S6
Phone: 519-235-0310

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