York Street Reconstruction
Overview:
The County of Prince Edward is undertaking a road reconstruction project on York Street in Picton, from Picton Main Street to Mary Street. The project will begin in the Fall of 2025. The work is expected to be completed by the spring of 2026.
The project will include:
- Replacement of a large sanitary sewer and installation of a new watermain along with a new roadway, curbs, and sidewalk.
This project is a high priority because of the deteriorating condition of a large trunk sanitary sewer that runs underneath York Street. If the sewer fails, staff will have to install a by-pass pump with a large generator running 24/7. The cost of the sewer by-pass would be approximately $17,000 per month.
In addition to replacing the existing sanitary sewer, the project includes replacing the watermain, installing a new asphalt roadway and sidewalk, and adding a curb and storm sewer to accommodate the curb.
Budget information:
- Budget year: 2024
- Tendered budget approved: $816,000
Project Status:
Construction
The contract for this project has been awarded to Cobourg Development Services Ltd. Construction began on October 20, 2025.
Project Updates
Update #3 Mary Street closure to take place from Monday, November 3 until Wednesday, November 5
The full closure of Mary Street between Elizabeth Street and East Mary Street in Picton — originally scheduled for October 27-28 — will now take place from Monday, November 3 until Wednesday, November 5.
The closure is necessary to install new sanitary and storm piping within the Mary Street and York Street intersection.
An extra day has been added to the closure due to the discovery of additional rock in the intersection.
The construction schedule is subject to change if unforeseen conditions are encountered. Updates and reminders will be shared with the public. Sign up to receive notices from the municipality and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
Update issued on October 31, 2025
Update #2 Mary Street closure postponed
The full closure of Mary Street between Elizabeth Street and East Mary Street in Picton — originally scheduled for October 27-28 — has been postponed.
The contractor, Cobourg Development Services Ltd., is postponing the closure as it waits to receive utility relocate information from Hydro One.
The closure is tentatively scheduled to occur the first week of November. Once the date is finalized, the municipality will issue a notice to the public. Sign up to receive notices from the municipality and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
The closure is necessary to install new sanitary and storm piping within the Mary Street and York Street intersection.
Update issued on October 24, 2025
Update #1 Work on York Street project begins October 20
Work on the York Street reconstruction project in Picton will begin on Monday, October 20.
The contractor, Cobourg Development Services Ltd., will start setting up equipment and installing signage on October 20. York Street between Picton Main Street and Mary Street will be closed except for local traffic. Flaggers will be on site to direct local traffic and construction activities. Limited traffic interruptions on Picton Main Street can be expected to accommodate construction activities.
Excavation work will start on Monday, October 27. Crews will begin work at York Street and Mary Street and work their way toward Picton Main Street. The contractor will also install temporary water service and a sewer bypass pump. Minimal noise and odours can be expected during bypass pumping of the sewer.
Other key project dates include:
- December 1 – December 12: Closure of eastbound lane of Picton Main Street. Temporary traffic signals will ensure one lane of traffic always remains open. Signage will direct drivers to an alternate route around the construction using Walton Street, King Street, and Paul Street.
- December 5: New watermain in service and temporary water service removed
- December 12: Winter shutdown. No work will take place during the winter months. A combination of base asphalt and temporary asphalt will be installed on York Street to allow for winter control and snow removal operations
- May 4, 2026: Restart of construction work. Please note: no work will take place on Picton Main Street in 2026.
- May 11 – 21, 2026: Curb, sidewalk and surface paving
- May 22, 2026: Project completion and demobilization
The construction schedule is subject to change if unforeseen conditions are encountered. Updates and reminders will be shared with the public. Sign up to receive notices from the municipality and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.
Update issued on October 17, 2025
Additional Information
Public Engagement:
The municipality hosted a public information centre (PIC) for this project on Thursday, June 19.
At the PIC, the municipality:
- Presented and reviewed the detailed designs for the project
- Provided local residents with more information about potential impacts of the project
- Gathered input from residents about the project
Accessibility:
The municipality considered accessibility issues during the detailed design of the project. A handrail will be installed on the steepest of the hill on York Street to assist pedestrians.
Further actions to make the sidewalk more accessible were examined but not incorporated into this project. The design team determined that the sidewalk cannot be altered to meet accessibility standards due to the slope of the existing street and adjacent driveways, buildings and access points. Rumble strips on the roadway were not included because they are typically used as traffic calming measures and would create noise pollution. In addition, rumble strips on the sidewalk would make it more difficult for people using walkers, wheelchairs or strollers to navigate the hill.
The accessible route between Delhi Park and the downtown core is along Elizabeth Street, as identified in the Delhi Park Community Connections Active Transportation Plan that was prepared by VTLA Studio in consultation with staff and the public.