EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LRT

Avenue Station Open House

May 2, 2016

Tackling the Problem

The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) “suffers from traffic congestion problems, poorly integrated transit services and relatively underdeveloped transport infrastructure.” OECD Territorial Review, 2010

• Average commute time per person, per day is 82 minutes.

• Projected to increase to 109 minutes in the next 25 years.

• Costs $6 billion in travel costs and lost productivity every year.

• By 2031, this number could increase to $15 billion.

• Over 500,000 tonnes of annual GHG emissions is due to traffic congestion.

Metrolinx was created in 2006 by the Province of Ontario as the first regional transportation agency for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

We were created to deal with congestion and provide one vision for the region: a transformation vision.

Regional Solution

1

Deliver the best possible transportation services today while leading the way to an even better, more convenient service tomorrow.

2 3

Make the best possible use of public transportation investment dollars.

Measurably improve quality of life in our region.

Our Mandate

Plan Build Deliver

We Plan: Today

We Plan: A Network Vision

We Build: the regional rapid transit network

Two bus rapid transit projectsPartially in-service,with remainder under construction:• Viva in York Region• Mississauga

Transitway

Five new light rail transit linesUnder construction:• Eglinton Crosstown

In design/planning:• Finch West• Sheppard East• Hurontario-Main• Hamilton

TransformingGO train service• More service on all

lines

• Electric trains, every 15 minutes or better in both directions, for most GO customers

Connecting it all together• Expanding and

revitalizing Union Station, the heart of the regional network

• Deploying PRESTO across the entire TTC

Union Station RevitalizationImprovements: new train shed

roof & track replacements

Georgetown South ProjectImprovements: three new tracks

along 20kms

Bus Rapid TransitNew kms: 59

Ridership (2031): 3800+/hour

Eglinton Crosstown LRTNew kms: 19

Ridership (2031): 5500/hour

UP ExpressApproximately 25 km

Ridership: up to 5000/day

PRESTOCard Holders: 1,000,000+

Availability: 10 transit agencies

Major Projects Completed or Underway

Safety First – Our #1 Priority

• Always have a site specific safety plan and site specific emergency plan.• Ensure pre-work hazard assessments are complete and understood.• Ensure job hazards analyses are complete and understood. • Do everything reasonably possible to protect themselves, co-workers, and

members of the public.• Identify and report unsafe behaviour and coach each other to make

improvements.• Be prepared and equipped to work safely.

We train and direct staff to:

Construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT LineBackground

• In September 2008, Metrolinx launched a regional transportation plan – a 25-year, $50 billion plan -- to coordinate and integrate transportation and transit in the Greater Toronto Area

• In 2010, City of Toronto approved the project to build the Eglinton Crosstown from Weston Road in the west to Kennedy Station in the east.

• Following a competitive process, Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS) was awarded a contract in July 2015 to design, build, finance, and maintain the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT).

Benefits of P3s:

• The Crosstown is being delivered using a public private partnership model called Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP).

• It was procured as one design-build-finance-maintain project to minimize integration risk – historically, a factor for project cost overruns under traditional models.

• Under the AFP model, CTS assumes most project risks, including: design, project management and sub-

contractor coordination increases in construction material prices

and labour costs schedule and project completion delays maintenance and lifecycle replacement of

materials within the stations and stops, rails, control systems, and vehicles

Project Players Roles

What are we building – a new modern LRT

• 15 underground stations and 10 surface stops• A maintenance and storage facility• A 19-kilometre route separated from regular traffic• Communications system • Links to 54 bus routes, three subway stations, GO Transit, and a new UP Express station

Design Excellence Principles & Objectives

Design Approach: Design from City to Object

S i m p l i c i t y I c o n o g r a p h y Transparency Ur b a n i t y

Simplicity and elegance of the design solution at all scales, from the city to the object;

Iconography of the architectural elements to create a unique and highly recognizable signature on Eglinton Avenue, from the slanted portal celebrating kinetic movement, to the profiled wing delineating shelters and waiting areas;Transparency of the entrances and through the station to magnify the presence of natural light, to enact as a way-finding strategy and to uplift the passenger’s experience;

Urbanity of the signature layers from landscape to architecture, to underline the genius loci and contextualize the stations and stops within the civic scale of the avenue.

How we’re building – Three Types of Stations

Cut & Cover Stations

Chaplin

Locations: Keelesdale (Keele), Caledonia, Fairbank (Dufferin), Forest Hill (Bathurst), Chaplin, Mount Pleasant, Leaside (Bayview), Science Centre

How we’re building – Three Types of Stations

Mined Stations

Avenue

tLocations: Oakwood, Avenue, Leaside (part), Laird

How we’re building – Three Types of Stations

Interchange Stations

Eglinton

• There are four interchange stations.

• Interchange stations will allow transit riders to connect to other transit modes, such as TTC, GO and the UP Express

How we’re building – Interchange Stations

Subway Station Longitudinal Section

Locations: Mount Dennis, Cedarvale (Allen), Eglinton (Yonge), Kennedy

Design Concepts

• Passenger First

Passenger First Light-filled Stations

Simplicity of Circulation

Clarity and Simplicity of Architectural Expression

Street Level – Contextual and Inviting

An International Signature for Toronto Entrance – Bright & Secure

Concourse – Simple & Pristine

Concourse – Transparent & Open

Platform – Spacious & Animated

Crosstown Design Approach

Features• About half of the 19 km line is

tunneled• Stations and stops are about 0.6 km

apart• Features will include:

• time arrival information• safe access for people walking

and biking to the station • clear route maps, seating, bike

parking • Available parking at the start and

end of the LRT line.

Design Approach• Comply with nine design principles developed

by City of Toronto and Metrolinx.• Provide a legacy for generations to come. • Have natural lighting during the day and well-lit

entrances at night.• Have safe, clean, intuitive wayfinding at

all the stations and stops.• Put passengers first.• Provide visible entrances, bicycle facilities and

sustainable practices to ensure all stations comply with Toronto Green Standard Tier.

• Landscaped entrances, including planters with trees and ornamental grasses.

• Public plazas and retail components at some stations.

• Clean and minimalist space at platform level.• Accessible to passengers with disabilities,

strollers, and bicycles.

Construction Overview

Distinct phases of construction:

• Preparatory works• Utility relocations• Handover of tunnel sections• Support of excavation • Excavation for underground stations• Underground construction of the stations• Track work and systems installation• Traction power system• Signalling system• Testing and commissioning• Road and area restoration

Preparing for Stations Construction

Since fall 2015, CTS has been preparing the line for underground stations and stops construction.

Preparatory activities:• Survey and monitor properties for noise and vibrations • Assess soil condition and measure water levels along the corridor• Locate and mark underground utilities• Clearing/grubbing and removing shrubs/trees in the path of the Crosstown• Demolish buildings and other infrastructure (i.e. bridge)• Remove and store street furniture

(i.e. benches, bus shelters, planters, garbage bins)

• The underground stations run between Weston Road in the west to Laird Street in the east.

• Construction began at Keelesdale station, located at Keele Street /Trethewey Drive and Eglinton Avenue in March 2016.

• Installing support of excavation is the first step in constructing an underground station.

• All underground stations will be brand new, including the three LRT interchange stations connecting to

other transit modes.• Most of the underground stations will be

in construction by the end of 2016.

What to expect in 2016 – Start of Stations Construction

How we’re building Avenue Station

Mined StationsAvenue

Avenue Station will be constructed using a mined method known as Sequential Excavation Method or SEM.

Shoring• Shoring is a common step in the process of installing the foundation of a

building. • In the first stage, crews will install steel piles, braces and tie-backs around

the sides of the entrances to support the excavation of these buildings to a depth of 25-30 m.

• This will support the surrounding loads until the underground levels of the building are constructed.

• This stage will take approximately 12 months.

How we’re building Avenue Station

How we’re building Avenue Station

Excavation• The next stage is mining excavation, which will begin from inside of the

excavated entrances after the shoring is completed in 2017.• With the SEM method, the underground area to be excavated is divided into

manageable segments and the segments are excavated in a planned sequence.

• The excavation creates a shotcrete-lined cavern an area of 13M high x 19M wide x 400M long which accommodates the platform (150M long) and a cross over (250M long) underneath Eglinton Avenue West.

• Within the cavern, the station box is constructed accommodating the rail tunnels, associated platform and rail infrastructure.

• Mining works continue throughout 2019. • Architectural and building works begin in 2019.

Estimated Construction Schedule

Avenue Station Concept Map

Main Entrance

Secondary Entrance

Avenue Station Main Entrance Design

Avenue Station Main Entrance Plaza

Avenue Station Secondary Entrance Design

Avenue Station Main Entrance Design

Avenue Station Secondary Entrance Design

Typical Cross Section View

Typical Cross Section View

Avenue Station Construction Timeline

2016 Look Ahead

Geotechnical Testing

Pre-demolition work &

Chimney Demolition

Demolitions

Utilities Relocations

Support of Excavation

Traffic & Transit Management

Plan Implemented

Early Works- Pre-condition

survey- Monitoring

Instruments

Avenue Station Construction UpdateSeptember 2016:• Completion of overhead hydro relocations and

associated outages• Installation of new signalized pedestrian

crossing week • Support of excavation activities:

– Main Entrance: piling underway – Secondary Entrance: mobilization of site

once hydro work is complete• Long term road occupancy at Main and

Secondary entrances expected for mid-September

Fall 2016:• Support of Excavation Activities• Dewatering System Installation

Long-term Construction Staging

Eglinton Park Occupancy

Beginning September 2016 a portion of the western frontage of Eglinton Park will be occupied to accommodate construction staging during the Eglinton Crosstown construction. The original land proposed (~5000 m²) has been reduced to less than 2500 m² subsequent to negative public opinion surrounding use of the park.

Trees in the park – Fifty trees in the area will be protected and twenty six trees will be removed in the frontage of Eglinton Park

area. – These recommendations comply with current City requirements for compensation and restoration.

Use of the Park – Project materials storage - Truck waiting area– Soil stockpile/holding area - Equipment – Site Crew Trailers

Restoration of the Park – Restoration of the park will take place once Avenue Station and the Eglinton Crosstown construction is

complete. Working with communities and elected officials, a restoration plan will be developed for Eglinton Park to enhance landscaping and improve lighting and grade, in coordination with the City and existing improvement plans.

 

We will manage disruptions

Plans will be developed and executed to:

• Ensure public health and safety• Manage traffic control• Coordinate with Emergency Services and transit• Communicate early and often• Use technology to share information in a timely way (i.e. a Mobile App to

inform motorists of traffic disruption)• Maintain access to property and local businesses• Provide directional signage• Identify access to local businesses• Alert motorists of estimated travel time through the corridor

Stay in touch

416-782-8118

www.thecrosstown.ca

crosstown@metrolinx.com

facebook.com/thecrosstown

twitter.com/crosstownTO

instagram.com/eglinton_crosstown

Crosstown West Office1848 Eglinton Ave W (at Dufferin)

Crosstown East Office660 Eglinton Ave E (at Bayview)