Tunnelling begins for Toronto's future Ontario Line subway
· Toronto Sun
The city’s future Ontario Line subway has reached a significant phase in its construction.
The province announced Thursday that two tunnel boring machines have begun digging downtown.
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The subway line, which Metrolinx has said is expected to open sometime in the early 2030s, will stretch 15.6 km across 15 stations from the Exhibition grounds in the west to the Don Valley Pkwy. at Eglinton Ave. E. in the east.
“The start of tunnelling is a historic milestone for the Ontario Line which, once complete, will help cut travel times for commuters across Toronto by 40 minutes,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement .
“Our government will continue to fight gridlock and keep workers on the job by leading the largest expansion of public transit in North America.”
New line will serve more residents
The Ontario Line is expected to put nearly 230,000 residents within walking distance of its stations, the province said.
In addition, the Ontario government says the transit project will support 4,700 well-paid jobs annually.
Mayor Olivia Chow called Thursday’s news a “major step forward” for the city.
“This project is part of a historic investment in public transit to fight gridlock, cut commute times and keep people moving across our city,” Chow said.
DVP could be shut down during construction
In February, Metrolinx CEO Michael Lindsay said construction of the transit project could potentially shut down the Don Valley Pkwy. for necessary bridge work.
The province said boring machines will dig twin tunnels as deep as 40 metres below the surface from Exhibition Station and toward the Don Yard near the Don Valley Pkwy. and Lakeshore Blvd.
At the Don Yard, the subway will see trains emerge from tunnels and continue east above ground across the Lower Don Bridge.
Once complete, the transit line will run from Exhibition Place to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Rd.
Toronto Centre Liberal MP Evan Solomon, the minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, said the project will connect communities, cut commute times, and reduce congestion.
“Our government is proud to invest more than $4 billion in the Ontario Line as part of the largest public transit investment the federal government has ever made in the Greater Toronto Area,” he said. “This is what building for the future looks like.”
Platforms, entrances being constructed as well
The province said major construction is also underway at Exhibition Station, where crews are building platforms and entrances on both sides of the track.
Exhibition Station will connect to GO Transit and bring subway service to the fast-growing Liberty Village neighbourhood.
Major progress is also being made at several downtown stations, with excavation complete at King West, Moss Park and Distillery District, and nearing completion at Chinatown.