Construction headaches continue for Toronto commuters
Posted September 1, 2022 5:04 pm.
Last Updated September 1, 2022 5:54 pm.
Congestion caused by construction and road work has already been a headache all summer long in Toronto, but it’s about to get worse.
“It is a massive undertaking, managing all of the construction and occupation. It is very challenging, but we are certainly doing our best,” said Craig Cripps from the City of Toronto’s transportation department.
Disruptions and delays can be seen along almost every route downtown, adding time to an already busy commute, according to the current map of construction in Toronto.
“We do our best. We look at different software programs we use to assist, and we do traffic modelling exercises to see where traffic patterns will adjust, [trying to make] the best of a bad situation.”
Coordination is key, and officials tell CityNews that different departments try to work with each other through what’s called the “MoveTO” plan.
“We’re looking at ten of thousands of occupations every year, permits alone, through the City of Toronto, and then you start to put capital along with all the developments,” said Cripps.
However, the chaos of the Ontario Line construction is set to cause even more delays.
“We have to try and find ways around it”
In August, work began on Adelaide Street as a result of anticipated work on Queen Street for the Ontario Line.
Toronto City Council approved a plan that could lead to seven years of road closures in the downtown core as part of the Ontario Line subway construction, including the complete shutdown of Queen Street between Victoria and Bay streets for four years starting in May 2023.
During construction, the 501 Queen streetcar will be diverted to Adelaide for eastbound travel and to Richmond Street for westbound travel.
“We have to try and find ways around it, and we do…. We find diversionary routes and work with the city in advance to find out where the work is going to be and how long it’s going to last,” said Stuart Green with the TTC.
Crews will be reinstalling the eastbound streetcar track system from Charlotte Street to York Street while also relocating the cycle track from the south side of the street to the north side from Bathurst to Parliament.
It’s unknown how long the construction will take.
In a recent move to avoid all the congestion downtown, Metrolinx announced they would be temporarily rerouting some eastbound GO buses heading from Union Station to Lakeshore West GO train stations so riders can transfer onto a train.
The statement says it will only be affecting three bus routes coming from the west of the region.
“The decision to divert to trains was made to avoid a long delay for passengers caused by busses attempting to get into and out of the downtown core amidst the traffic and add greater certainty to passengers’ commutes,” read Metrolinx’s statement.
There are reports that some road resurfacing — that was supposed to start throughout the city this month — has been delayed until next year to make changes to contracts.
