What is happening at Eglinton Avenue and Allen Road?

February 7, 2014

Extraction and Launch Shaft Construction

These large shafts, used for the entry and removal of the tunnel boring machines, will be located within the Eglinton Avenue roadway both east and west of Allen Road. Each shaft will also have an adjacent construction site on the north side of Eglinton Avenue for various tunnelling activities.

What: Extraction and launch shafts are required to be in place prior to the arrival of tunnel boring machines near the Eglinton West Station. The construction of the extraction and launch shafts requires:

Eglinton Avenue West Road Widening

Around the extraction and launch shaft area, crews will widen Eglinton Avenue between Winnett Avenue and Flanders Road, to accommodate construction staging to allow for various traffic patterns of the future construction.

Building Temporary Pedestrian Walkways

Temporary Pedestrian walkways will be built on the north and south sides of the Eglinton Avenue to access Eglinton West subway station, the police station, and Ben Nobleman Park.

Please take care when travelling near construction areas. Pedestrian walkways will remain open. Watch for additional signs directing pedestrians. Pedestrian detours may be required.

Removal of Old Steel Beams, hydro poles, and various street fixtures

Further work is required to remove old steel beams previously installed in the roadway of Eglinton Avenue (as underground structural support for the rapid transit expansion program in the mid-1990s). Crews will also remove hydro poles and various street furnishings to allow for extraction and launch shaft construction.

Very large equipment such as cranes, drill rigs, construction fencing, sound barriers, and jersey barriers etc. for excavating and building the shafts will be visible in the vicinity of Allen Road.

Where: The initial work zone will be extended west of Atlas Road to east of Allen Road North (Flanders Road). Barriers will be used to separate the work zone from the traffic.

When: For this initial stage crews will begin to occupy a section of the roadway on the south side of Eglinton for several months. More stages of the work will follow and construction updates will be provided as the work is phased in the following months.
Construction schedules can be affected by weather and unforeseen circumstances.

Changing Traffic Patterns

Traffic patterns in the area will continue to change and shift during different phases of the work. Eglinton Avenue from west of Atlas Road to east of Glenarden Road will be reduced to one lane in either direction. Short-term street closures and turning restrictions will allow for this construction to take place. Paid duty officers or flagpersons may be used to allow the traffic to flow and to assist with pedestrians at crossings as necessary.

Due to the current volume of traffic in this area, traffic delays are expected in this area during construction.

Please take care when travelling near construction areas. Pedestrian walkways will remain open. Please watch for additional signs directing pedestrians. Pedestrian detours may be required.

Transforming transit across the middle of Toronto will involve significant road works. Construction will be visible along the corridor and on some side streets. There will be short-term local street closures and turning restrictions to allow for the construction to take place. Metrolinx, City staff and your elected officials are working closely together to monitor and make adjustments to the local road configurations, work zone setups and other day to day items such as signage and temporary adjustments from one to two way streets.

Work Hours

The majority of work during this phase will occur between 7a.m. and 11p.m., seven days a week. Some work may be scheduled in the overnight period. Underground tunnelling and associated work may continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Crosstown Community Office

We understand that construction can be disruptive, and we will do our best to keep you informed. If you would like more details about this work or any other aspect of the Eglinton Crosstown project, please do not hesitate to contact us. We thank you for your continued patience as we work to build rapid transit.

- See more at: http://thecrosstown.ca/news-media/whats-new/what-is-happening-at-eglinton-avenue-and-allen-road#sthash.AQiLzrfj.dpuf

February 7, 2014

Extraction and Launch Shaft Construction

These large shafts, used for the entry and removal of the tunnel boring machines, will be located within the Eglinton Avenue roadway both east and west of Allen Road. Each shaft will also have an adjacent construction site on the north side of Eglinton Avenue for various tunnelling activities.

What: Extraction and launch shafts are required to be in place prior to the arrival of tunnel boring machines near the Eglinton West Station. The construction of the extraction and launch shafts requires:

Eglinton Avenue West Road Widening

Around the extraction and launch shaft area, crews will widen Eglinton Avenue between Winnett Avenue and Flanders Road, to accommodate construction staging to allow for various traffic patterns of the future construction.

Building Temporary Pedestrian Walkways

Temporary Pedestrian walkways will be built on the north and south sides of the Eglinton Avenue to access Eglinton West subway station, the police station, and Ben Nobleman Park.

Please take care when travelling near construction areas. Pedestrian walkways will remain open. Watch for additional signs directing pedestrians. Pedestrian detours may be required.

Removal of Old Steel Beams, hydro poles, and various street fixtures

Further work is required to remove old steel beams previously installed in the roadway of Eglinton Avenue (as underground structural support for the rapid transit expansion program in the mid-1990s). Crews will also remove hydro poles and various street furnishings to allow for extraction and launch shaft construction.

Very large equipment such as cranes, drill rigs, construction fencing, sound barriers, and jersey barriers etc. for excavating and building the shafts will be visible in the vicinity of Allen Road.

Where: The initial work zone will be extended west of Atlas Road to east of Allen Road North (Flanders Road). Barriers will be used to separate the work zone from the traffic.

When: For this initial stage crews will begin to occupy a section of the roadway on the south side of Eglinton for several months. More stages of the work will follow and construction updates will be provided as the work is phased in the following months.
Construction schedules can be affected by weather and unforeseen circumstances.

Changing Traffic Patterns

Traffic patterns in the area will continue to change and shift during different phases of the work. Eglinton Avenue from west of Atlas Road to east of Glenarden Road will be reduced to one lane in either direction. Short-term street closures and turning restrictions will allow for this construction to take place. Paid duty officers or flagpersons may be used to allow the traffic to flow and to assist with pedestrians at crossings as necessary.

Due to the current volume of traffic in this area, traffic delays are expected in this area during construction.

Please take care when travelling near construction areas. Pedestrian walkways will remain open. Please watch for additional signs directing pedestrians. Pedestrian detours may be required.

Transforming transit across the middle of Toronto will involve significant road works. Construction will be visible along the corridor and on some side streets. There will be short-term local street closures and turning restrictions to allow for the construction to take place. Metrolinx, City staff and your elected officials are working closely together to monitor and make adjustments to the local road configurations, work zone setups and other day to day items such as signage and temporary adjustments from one to two way streets.

Work Hours

The majority of work during this phase will occur between 7a.m. and 11p.m., seven days a week. Some work may be scheduled in the overnight period. Underground tunnelling and associated work may continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Crosstown Community Office

We understand that construction can be disruptive, and we will do our best to keep you informed. If you would like more details about this work or any other aspect of the Eglinton Crosstown project, please do not hesitate to contact us. We thank you for your continued patience as we work to build rapid transit.

- See more at: http://thecrosstown.ca/news-media/whats-new/what-is-happening-at-eglinton-avenue-and-allen-road#sthash.AQiLzrfj.dpuf

Construction of the Eglinton Crosstown is well underway along Eglinton Avenue at Allen Road, which means some restrictions for motorists and pedestrians. In order to accommodate construction:

• The pedestrian crossing signal has changed such that the green light providing vehicles access northbound onto Allen Road coincides with the pedestrian crossing; and

• Along Eglinton in this area, traffic is reduced to one lane in either direction in this area, including only one westbound lane with access northbound on Allen Road.

When the signal change was implemented on January 31, 2014, the new signal configuration caused extended queues along Eglinton as both pedestrians and motorists were accustomed to separate signals.

As a result, Metrolinx has been asked to look at options to address the current traffic congestion and safety issues at the intersection. One option is to close the Allen Road northbound.

Temporarily closing the northbound lanes of Allen Road would mitigate impacts to the local community, and allow the contractor to work more efficiently in this area. We are currently studying the implications of this option and quantifying the benefits.

After a thorough analysis of risks and benefits of a closure, we will present a report to the City of Toronto for discussion and consideration. Any decision to close Allen Road would rest with the City Council.

The Crosstown Community Office

For further information, please contact us. We understand that construction can be disruptive, and we will do our best to keep you informed. We thank you for your continued patience as we work to build rapid transit.