Erb, Ira Needles sees overnight closures through final weekend of construction

Pylons surround the roundabout at Ira Needles Boulevard and Erb Street on Friday morning. (Justin Koehler/570 NewsRadio)

By Justin Koehler

Posted Sep 19, 2025 05:54:00 AM.

Last Updated Sep 20, 2025 07:50:52 AM.

After a month of traffic delays, lengthy commutes, and rough trips to the local Costco, construction at the roundabout of Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard/Erbsville Road is nearly complete.

The final stretch of work, consisting of asphalt paving, will result in overnight closures for just a little while longer.

It was all done as part of the Region of Waterloo’s roundabout pedestrian safety project, working to improve overall safety through some of the busier roundabouts across Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo.

The Waterloo project at Erb and Ira Needles experienced the most construction, including raised crosswalks, button-activated flashing lights, storm sewer upgrades, and improved lighting.

The other projects included at Homer Watson Boulevard and Block Line Road in Kitchener, as well as Franklin Boulevard and Bishop Street North in Cambridge. The total cost for the three projects was pegged just under $2.3 million.

The closures through the final weekend of construction in Waterloo saw lanes blocked off on Friday night, continuing for Saturday night and Monday night as well.

erb ira needles roundabout — Construction at the roundabout of Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard (Josh Goeree/CityNews Kitchener)

For Saturday, Ira Needles/Erbsville will be closed from Chablis Drive to Thorndale Drive. On Monday, Erb Street West will be closed from Notre Dame Drive to Westcroft Drive.

Those overnight closures are set to go into effect at around 8 p.m. on each of those evenings, reopening at 7 a.m. the following morning. Pedestrian access will still be permitted through the closure.

For those who would be impacted through those overnight closures, the region is recommending detours, including:

September 19 and 20: Ira Needles Boulevard/Erbsville Road
Northbound traffic: University Avenue W to Fischer-Hallman Road, to Erb Street W
Southbound traffic: Columbia Street W to Fischer-Hallman Road, to Erb Street W
September 22: Erb Street W
Eastbound traffic: Notre Dame Drive to Snyder’s Road E, to Ira Needles Boulevard
Westbound traffic: Fischer-Hallman Road to University Avenue W, to Ira Needles Boulevard

Construction is set to officially wrap up at the Erb and Ira Needles roundabout as of Tuesday morning.

The full list of details on the region’s roundabout pedestrian safety pilot project can be found on the Region of Waterloo’s website.

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