Ontario Construction News staff writer
Major construction is now underway along the entire 9.2-kilometre route of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, which will extend Toronto’s Line 5 Eglinton further west into Mississauga.
In April, crews began digging tunnels to connect the extension to the western end of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT — to be known as Line 5 Eglinton — at Mount Dennis Station. The work marks a significant milestone in the development of the rapid transit project.
The extension will add seven new stations to the 25 already included in the Line 5 Eglinton project. Once complete, the line will span from Scarborough through midtown Toronto and into Mississauga, providing a new east-west rapid transit connection across the Greater Toronto Area.
The 500-metre twin tunnels at Mount Dennis are being built using the sequential excavation method, which divides the tunnel into smaller sections that are excavated one at a time. As crews dig, concrete is sprayed onto exposed walls to reinforce the tunnel. Progress is expected at a rate of about one to two metres per day.
Last spring, twin tunnel boring machines named Renny and Rexy completed a 6.3-kilometre dig from Renforth Drive to Scarlett Road. The two-year operation created the tunnels for the western segment of the line, where the future LRT will transition to an above-ground route.
Elsewhere along the extension, construction has begun on a 1.5-kilometre elevated guideway that will carry the line over the Humber River. Work on the foundations and piers for the bridge — which will run from west of Scarlett Road to east of Jane Street — began this spring.
The contract to design and build the second underground segment of the extension was awarded last year to Strabag Inc.
Strabag Inc.’s team for this project comprises:
- Developer: Strabag Inc.
- Design: WSP Canada Inc. and Dr. G. Sauer & Partners Corporation
- Construction: Strabag Inc.
- Financial Advisor: Strabag Inc.
The scope of work includes the design and supply of mining and tunnelling equipment, detailed design and construction of the launch and extraction shafts and tunnel portal east of Jane Street, detailed design and construction of the tunnel between the portal and Mount Dennis Station using the sequential excavation method, modifications at Mount Dennis Station to accommodate extended Eglinton Crosstown LRT service, and utility work and road modifications along Eglinton Avenue West .
Metrolinx says the project will bring improved rapid transit to thousands of residents in west Toronto and Mississauga as construction continues to advance.
