‘My house shakes all night’: New complaints about Metrolinx Lakeshore East rail project

Residents who live near a Metrolinx Lakeshore East rail construction project, close to Danforth Avenue, say a new issue is impacting their sleep.

“The whole house is shaking. Your head is shaking,” said Michael Potters, whose backyard faces the railway. “It’s happening five nights a week between the hours of 12 to 4 in the morning.”

This follows a report CityNews did last month on the same residents who said construction trucks, equipped with reverse alarms, were beeping too loudly in the overnight hours.

“After that report, Metrolinx addressed the problem of the beeping and it has gotten a bit better,” said Potters. “But shortly after that, these vibrations started.”

Potters has been recording videos of the vibrations that show his walls rattling. The videos also capture the noises he and his neighbours say are preventing them from sleeping.

“I’m now trying to sleep in the basement it’s so bad.”

“The whole house is shaking. Your head is shaking.”

Potters and his neighbours started a group called “Beep Off Metrolinx,” which was created in response to the noise from reversing truck alarms. They’ve since expanded the mission to include the vibrations.

“We’ve been asking Metrolinx for vibration monitoring studies but they’re not responding,” Potters said.

Neighbours say they’re not opposed to the work, which is being done to create an additional track that will enable more GO Transit service on the Lakeshore East line.

“This track work needs to be done, and people need to get around in the city,” Potters said. “But why are they doing it in the middle of the night? We’re just asking them to consider the impact this is having on all of us.”

In a response to CityNews, Metrolinx said the work must be carried out at night due to its proximity to the live railway line, which is most busy during the daytime hours. A spokesperson said they’re hopeful the overnight work leading to the concerns will be wrapped up this week, adding that measures are put in place to try and reduce noise.

“We use measures such as equipment with rubber track, which reduces vibration and temporary noise barriers,” the spokesperson told CityNews. “Noise and vibration levels are monitored near work areas and in the event of concerns, Metrolinx follows up with the contractor to determine where further noise and vibration control measures are possible.”

While some of the work is expected to end soon, the project isn’t finished yet, Metrolinx said piling work will begin soon although no date was given.

Potters and his neighbours say Metrolinx needs to do more to minimize the noise in the future as the project moves forward.

“We’re going to continue to mobilize until there is action and we can get a good night’s sleep,” Potters added.

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