If Rectory Street is part of your daily commute, you’re about to need a serious backup plan. Starting Wednesday, June 11, the City of London is shutting down a significant stretch of Rectory Street for what they’re calling “underground infrastructure upgrades” – and this isn’t your typical weekend road work situation.

The closure affects the entire section between Florence Street and Little Simcoe Street, essentially cutting off one of the area’s key connecting routes. We’re talking about a project that’s expected to drag on until Fall 2025, which means Londoners are looking at more than a year of navigating around this construction zone.

According to the city’s announcement, they’re replacing “aging underground infrastructure that has reached the end of its lifecycle.” While that might sound like bureaucratic speak, it’s actually addressing some pretty serious behind-the-scenes issues that most of us never think about – the pipes, cables, and systems buried beneath our streets that keep everything running smoothly.

The timing isn’t exactly ideal, with the closure kicking off smack in the middle of summer when traffic patterns are already shifting with people heading to patios, festivals, and all those outdoor activities that make London summers actually enjoyable. But the city has set up what they’re calling a “signed detour” using Florence Street, Egerton Street, and Hamilton Road to help people navigate around the chaos.

Here’s something that might ease the pain a bit: if you’re trying to get to the BMO Centre, you’ll still be able to access it via Florence Street. The city has made sure that nearby homes, businesses, and properties will maintain access throughout the construction period, which is honestly a relief considering how disruptive these long-term closures can be for local businesses.

The city is strongly encouraging drivers to plan ahead and use alternate routes whenever possible. They’re also suggesting people check navigation apps like Waze or Google Maps for real-time updates, which is pretty standard advice these days but definitely worth following if you want to avoid getting stuck in unexpected traffic jams.

It’s not just drivers who need to adjust their routines. Pedestrians should expect some sidewalk closures or restrictions during the work, so the city is advising people to use nearby streets to reach their destinations safely. Walking around construction zones can be tricky enough without having to guess which sidewalks are actually accessible.

For anyone who wants to dive deeper into the project details, the city has set up information on their Renew London website where you can track progress and get updates on how the work is progressing.

The project officially launched on June 11, weather permitting, which means Mother Nature could potentially delay things even further if we get hit with particularly nasty conditions. But assuming everything goes according to plan, this section of Rectory Street will be off-limits to regular traffic until sometime in Fall 2025.