Mobility

Better planning. Less disruption. Better value for your tax dollars.

Back in 2022, I ran on a simple commitment: Fix the Roads.

Fixing the roads still matters. But we also need to do a better job planning the work underneath them, around them and ahead of them.

We’ve all seen it: a road gets rebuilt, traffic finally starts moving again — and then, months later, somebody digs it up.

Hamilton can do better.

As Mayor, I will introduce a formal Dig Once Hamilton policy to strengthen coordination between the City, utilities and major infrastructure partners before significant road work begins.

The principle is simple: plan the work together and complete it together wherever practical.

Before major road work moves ahead, City departments and infrastructure partners will be required to identify foreseeable work that could be coordinated at the same time — from water and wastewater infrastructure to utilities, transit, sidewalks, cycling infrastructure, accessibility improvements and other planned work.

Dig Once will also require the City to look ahead. When a street is already open for major reconstruction, Hamilton should consider practical, cost-effective improvements that could prevent much more expensive work later. Plan for what we can reasonably anticipate today so taxpayers aren’t paying to open the same street again tomorrow.

And when a newly rebuilt street does need to be reopened because of an emergency, essential connection or another legitimate reason, residents deserve to know why.

Hamilton already coordinates some infrastructure work and has rules protecting newly improved streets. Dig Once will build on that foundation with a more consistent, transparent and accountable citywide approach.

Results will be publicly reported so Hamiltonians can see whether projects are being better coordinated, unnecessary repeat work is being avoided and taxpayer dollars are being used wisely.

This isn’t about delaying urgent repairs or spending money on infrastructure we don’t need.

It’s about planning ahead, reducing avoidable disruption and getting better value from the work we already have to do.

Fix the roads. Then plan smarter so we protect the investment.

That’s smarter infrastructure planning.

That’s Taxpayer Respect.

And that’s how we build a better-connected Hamilton.