Hamilton's Garner Road to close for nearly 2 months for major sewer repair

Garner Road in west Hamilton will close to through traffic for nearly two months starting Monday as the city undertakes a major sewer repair that officials say can no longer be completed without digging up the road.

Hamilton's Garner Road to close for nearly 2 months for major sewer repair Full closure begins Monday; expected to remain until September 4 Garner Road in west Hamilton will close to through traffic for nearly two months starting Monday as the city undertakes a major sewer repair that officials say can no longer be completed without digging up the road. The closure, which begins July 13, will shut down Garner Road between Southcote Road and Glancaster Road, according to the city's release Friday. No vehicles will be allowed through between Springbrook Avenue and 850 Garner Road East.

The city expects the road to reopen by Sept. 4, weather permitting. Officials say the closure is needed because crews must excavate about nine metres below the road to repair a section of sewer pipe that sank after unstable ground conditions were discovered near the end of an earlier project in 2025. The city initially tried to complete the repair using soil stabilization and hand tunnelling so Garner Road could remain open to traffic.

But after further engineering review, it determined those methods would not safely complete the work, making open-cut construction necessary. That approach requires removing a large section of the roadway to access and replace the damaged sewer before rebuilding the road above it. Construction has impacted businesses in the past The city acknowledged the project has taken longer than originally expected, saying it first pursued options that would minimize disruptions for residents, businesses and commuters.

Businesses along Garner will remain open during construction, with access maintained via a signed detour using Southcote Road, Book Road and Glancaster Road. Construction on that road had previous impacted restaurants and bars along the street. Hamilton Street Railway buses will also detour around the closure, while emergency access and regular garbage collection will continue.

The Garner Road closure is one of several major road projects for this summer. Also starting Monday, Barton Street East between Victoria Avenue North and Kenilworth Avenue North will undergo resurfacing and concrete repairs through late October. The road will remain open, but drivers should expect lane closures and delays.

Concrete work will take place during the day, while paving is scheduled overnight. Meanwhile, lane closures will continue on Olympic Drive through the end of August for resurfacing and guiderail installation. The city is urging motorists to slow down, follow posted detour signs and watch for construction workers in work zones as the projects get underway.