Construction begins on first station of $5.3B Eglinton Crosstown in Toronto
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Major transit infrastructure project slated for completion in 2021
Artist rendering of Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown. The LRT is the largest transit project currently under construction in the country. PHOTO: Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships
TORONTO—Crews have begun work on the first of 25 stations to be built for Toronto’s new Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit system.
Breaking ground on the new Keelesdale Station—at Keele Street and Eglinton Avenue West in the west end of Toronto—Ont. Premier Kathleen Wynne said the project will create jobs and strengthen Ontario’s largest city.
“We are making considerable progress on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT line,” Ont. minister of Transportation, Steven Del Duca, added. “The start of construction of the Keelesdale station is an important milestone and further proof of our government’s commitment to provide accessible, modern transit infrastructure that will reduce commute times, create jobs and improve the quality of life for Ontarians.”
The $5.3 billion project is scheduled for completion in 2021, adding 19 kilometres of light rail infrastructure along one of the busiest routes in the country between Weston Road and Kennedy Station. The LRT is the largest expansion of urban transit in the city in more than 50 years.
“We are excited to move into this next phase of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project—building the stations and stops, track and signal infrastructure and maintenance and storage facility to support the line,” Bruce McCuaig, the president and CEO of Metrolinx, said. “The Crosstown is one of Metrolinx’s key projects that will transform the way Toronto and the region moves with a fast, convenient and integrated transit network.”
The line is expected to carry approximately 5,500 passengers per hour during peak times by 2031, with daily boardings estimated at 162,000.
The four engineering companies responsible for building the mega-project are Aecon, ACS Infrastructure Canada, EllisDon, and SNC-Lavalin. The four firms closed on the deal last year.
