Every Welland transit route will run on detour next weekend as the city closes a stretch of King Street for the 2026 Rose Festival Parade.

The closures and detours run Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21, according to a Niagara Region Transit service notice. King Street will be shut from Ontario Road to East Main Street at Hellems Avenue for the parade, and all Welland routes will follow alternate paths from the start of service until roughly 4 p.m.

Hourly departures during detours

While the detours are in effect, buses will leave the Welland Terminal once an hour, beginning at 10 a.m. — a significant cut from the usual schedule, which means longer waits for anyone using transit over the festival weekend.

Once the street closures clear and regular Sunday service resumes, Routes 501 and 506 will stay on their detours from 4 p.m. until the end of service.

Detour routes in detail

Route 501 outbound will travel via Hellems Avenue, Plymouth Road, Ontario Road, Prince Charles Drive South, Lincoln Street and Denistoun Street before rejoining its regular route. Return trips will use Plymouth Road, Lincoln Street, Burgar Street and the Welland Terminal.

Routes 502, 503 and 505 will all follow the same detour pattern: outbound via River Road, Woodlawn Road, Niagara Street south, Merritt Street and Fitch Street, then back to their regular routes. Return trips will run along Niagara Street, Woodlawn Road and River Road to the terminal.

Route 506 outbound will use Hellems Avenue, Plymouth Road and Ontario Road before returning to its regular alignment. Route 507 outbound will travel River Road, Woodlawn Road, Niagara Street south, Elgin Street, Shotwell Street and Merritt Street, then loop back to Niagara Street north, with return trips following Niagara Street, Woodlawn Road and River Road to the terminal.

What riders should do

Transit staff said operators and supervisors will be on hand during the festival weekend to answer questions about the changed routes, and the agency is asking riders for patience while service works around the community celebration.

Anyone planning to travel in Welland during the festival is advised to check the Niagara Transit website for Service Alerts before heading out, since last-minute changes are possible. Riders can also call customer service at 1-833-678-5463 for up-to-date information.