Major construction has now reached across the full route of the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, as crews begin the final tunnelling work that will connect the project to existing light rail system (LRT) at Mount Dennis Station in Toronto.
Toronto LRT: Major milestone for Eglinton West Extension Project
This final stage marks a key milestone for the 9.2-kilometre extension, which will add seven new stations and link directly to Line 5 Eglinton, a new rapid transit corridor stretching from Scarborough through midtown Toronto and into Mississauga. Once complete, the project will significantly improve east-west travel options across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Last year, infrastructure firm Strabag Inc. was awarded the contract to design and build the second underground segment of the line. The remaining 500-metre twin tunnels are being excavated using the sequential excavation method — a process typically used for shorter tunnel segments. The method involves excavating the tunnel in small sections and reinforcing the walls with sprayed concrete as each part is completed. Progress averages one to two metres per day.
The new tunnel section follows on from the work of twin tunnel boring machines, Renny and Rexy, which completed their 6.3-kilometre journey last spring. That western section runs from Renforth Drive to Scarlett Road, where the line will rise above ground.
Meanwhile, construction is advancing on another key element of the project — the 1.5-kilometre elevated guideway over the Humber River. Crews began foundation and pier work earlier this spring on the future bridge, which will span from just west of Scarlett Road to just east of Jane Street.
With tunnelling now underway at both ends of the line and structural work progressing in the middle, the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is rapidly moving from blueprint to reality — promising to bring reliable rapid transit to thousands of residents and commuters in west Toronto and Mississauga.
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