Ontario Construction News staff writer
IBI Group says it has has been named lead architect on the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Line 1 Subway Enhancement Program.
In partnership with prime consultant WSP, IBI Group will manage the review and development of facility station modification requirements for the 11-year program, set to deliver capacity upgrades to manage increased ridership in the near and long term.
The project builds on the firm’s recent transportation infrastructure contract wins, including its design role as part of the Acciona-Ghella joint venture on Vancouver’s Broadway Subway Expansion.
“We are proud to work together with WSP and the TTC to support its goal of improved customer experience, safety and satisfaction,” said Lisa D’abbondaza, IBI group director and senior practice Senior Practice Lead, Architecture. “The TTC’s Enhancement Program also supports the continued growth of the City of Toronto, making the benefits of a healthy public transit system more accessible to city residents and visitors.”
As lead architect, IBI Group will review passenger and design capacities and provide design solutions that consider demand requirements 30 years beyond the target construction completion date, using growth forecasts provided by the TTC and the City of Toronto.
Wayfinding, signage, and accessibility will be central considerations throughout the design process. Work on the project commenced in December 2020, and has an expected completion in 2031.
Toronto’s Line 1 (Yonge-University) is the busiest rapid transit line in Canada, serving more than 850,000 customers per day pre-COVID-19. Southbound trains departing from Bloor-Yonge Station carry between 28,000 to 30,000 passengers during the morning rush hour, at times exceeding Line 1’s scheduled capacity.
Recent demand forecasts for Line 1, completed pre-COVID-19, indicate that morning rush hour heading southbound from Bloor-Yonge Station will soon exceed 36,000 passengers as a result of the completion of the Line 1 Yonge Subway Extension, and population and employment increases in the Toronto region.
