Multi-phase construction on College Street could be traffic headache in Toronto

Construction has begun on a key section of Toronto’s College Street and it will be tricky to navigate for some time.

According to a City of Toronto notice, the goal is to improve the stretch of College Street between Manning Avenue and Bay Street for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. Unfortunately, that’s going to mean several months of construction-related headaches.

College Street is currently down to a single lane between Manning Avenue and Bathurst Street, but in the coming days and weeks that work will expand eastward covering a much larger stretch of College Street.

Over the next two weeks, construction will be extended to St. George Street. It will expand to University Avenue in October and in November it will reach Bay Street.

City of Toronto officials said the project is expected to be done by the end of the year.

Delays on College Street expected as construction drags on

Once the construction zone is set up, there will be a full closure of College Street between Bathurst Street and Augusta Avenue and another full closure between Spadina Avenue and St. George Street. This will likely put a considerable strain on Harbord Street and Dundas Street West.

For the next few months, drivers should expect significant delays in the Trinity Bellwoods and Little Italy neighbourhoods.

The closures also affect transit — the 506 Carlton streetcar, which was already diverting due to the closure at Carlton and Church streets, will now be diverted along Dundas Street West between Ossington Avenue and Parliament Street.

In a news release, a City of Toronto spokesperson says the planned TTC track replacement work on College Street from Bathurst and Bay streets is an opportunity to “rethink the existing roadway design and consider changes to improve safety for all road users.”

Toronto city council authorized the College Street upgrades as part of the “Cycling Network Plan: 2022 Cycling Infrastructure Installation” on April 7.