A major construction project will reduce the lanes on Queen Street West between Bathurst Street and Spadina Avenue for the next five months — starting today.

Parking metres being shut down on south side of Queen between Spadina and Bathurst ahead of closure <a href="https://t.co/q9jgmnVK9B">pic.twitter.com/q9jgmnVK9B</a> —@LindaWardCBC City crews began shutting down parking meters and clearing catch-basins Monday morning as work on the busy downtown street will reduce traffic to one lane in each direction.

The city says the closures are necessary to complete a water main replacement and road reconstruction work. Drivers are being told to expect delays for at least the next 5 months. The city says the street is expected to reopen to normal traffic on October 9.

Crews will start their work on the north side of Queen Street and then move to the south side.

The 501 and 301 Queen streetcars will divert around the construction until the work is complete in October. (TTC)

The Toronto Transit Commission has begun to divert streetcars around the work area and provide shuttle bus service.

The TTC says the 501 and 301 streetcars are now diverting around the stretch of Queen via Spadina Avenue, King Street West and Shaw Street in both directions.

Buses running on Queen b/w between Spadina & Bathurst until Oct. Queen 1 lane in each direction for construction. <a href="https://t.co/ErhHNiHr4p">pic.twitter.com/ErhHNiHr4p</a> —@LindaWardCBC

Shuttle buses are also running along Queen Street West between Spadina Avenue and Shaw Street in place of the streetcars.