Construction season in Toronto has officially started, and it looks like this summer is going to be brutal.
Mayor John Tory announced today that the City has committed more than $1 billion to fixing a slew of roads, bridges, highways, sewers, and watermains this summer, making it the biggest investment Toronto has made in construction, ever.
This morning, we launched Toronto's busiest construction season ever with more than $1 billion in work planned for roads, bridges, expressways, sewers, and watermains. This is the largest investment into a City of Toronto construction season yet. pic.twitter.com/zZIHdh3Eqy
— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 13, 2019
Of that big budget, $590 million will go to longtime transportation projects like the rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway, road safety initiative Vision Zero, and expanding the cycling network around the city.
While amazing from an infrastructure perspective, it means that travelling around every corner of town is likely going to resemble a hot, steaming hellscape.
A whopping 600 roads (or more) are going to be under construction this summer, equalling up to 140 kilometres in road paving, and about 200 kilometres in underground work.
I understand and do sympathize with residents and the travelling public who may be affected by the construction & while it will definitely be a busier summer on Toronto’s roads, you can see this work as the city's direct investment into building a better Toronto. pic.twitter.com/4oI7VEZgpJ
— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 13, 2019
That includes construction on some very important roads like Bloor West, with a watermain replacement, road resurfacing and bike lane construction slated between Bathurst and Spadina.
The same goes for Richmond Street between York and Bathurst, an intersection of Jarvis Street, and four different bridges spanning over the DVP, including the Don Mills Road and Wynford Drive bridges.
Sixty-three of those projects will operate on extended work hours in an attempt to get them finished faster.
What is the logic behind closing the DVP on a weekend when the Jay's are playing at home? In the mean time, the City is advising everyone to check Toronto's online road restrictions map to keep abreast of road closures.
— Rob Matic (@matic_rob) May 13, 2019
That's not to say that construction isn't already rampant in Toronto: Dundas and the Chinatown area has been plagued with road fixes for months, and it doesn't look like it's easing up any time soon; the same goes for Wellington.
But there's more to come—so drivers, get ready. Here are just a few of the major construction projects slated to take over the city this year:
- Kipling Avenue, Bloor Street West and Dundas Street West, Six Points Interchange Reconfiguration;
- Four bridges over the Don Valley Parkway, rehabilitation of Don Mills Road, Spanbridge Road, Wynford Drive and Lawrence Avenue bridges;
- Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation from Jarvis Street to Cherry Street, first phase;
- Bloor Street West from Bathurst Street to Spadina Avenue, watermain replacement, streetscaping, bike lane construction and road resurfacing;
- Richmond Street from York Street to Bathurst Street, watermain replacement;
- Jarvis Street from Dundas Street to Queen Street, road resurfacing (resuming from 2018);
- Don and Central Waterfront, first phase, Coxwell Bypass Tunnel boring;
- Queen Street East and Eastern Avenue, TTC track replacement;
- Birchmount Road from Eglinton Avenue East to Lawrence Avenue East, road resurfacing;
- Midland Avenue from Danforth Avenue to Lawrence Avenue East, road reconstruction;
- Old Weston Road from St. Clair Avenue West to Rowntree Avenue, road resurfacing;
- Royal York from Dixon Road to Summitcrest Drive, road resurfacing;
- York Mills Road from Leslie Street to Don Mills Road, road resurfacing;
- Willowdale Avenue from Empress Avenue to Finch Avenue, road resurfacing and bike lane installation; and
- Bayview Avenue over the west Don River, bridge repairs.
by Tanya Mok via blogTO
No comments:
Post a Comment