Ontario achieves substantial completion of Eglinton Crosstown LRT

The Government of Ontario announced that testing for the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) has been successfully completed.

On December 5, the project reached Substantial Completion, where independent engineers verified the line is ready for service. Full operational control of the line is being transferred to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) which will determine the start date of passenger service early next year with the support of Metrolinx. Service levels will continue to ramp up over the coming months, reflecting the standard approach for bringing major LRT projects into service worldwide.

“We’re excited to announce the completion of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT in partnership with the province. This transformative new 19-kilometre transit line features 25 stations and stops, connecting Mount Dennis station in the west and Kennedy station in the east – making travel across the city and region faster and easier than ever before. The line will provide more seamless connections to three TTC subway lines, two GO Transit lines, and 54 bus routes,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO, Metrolinx.

To achieve Substantial Completion, extensive testing was conducted to ensure the line is prepared for safe and reliable service. This testing included:

• Running the line at full capacity in a variety of weather conditions, including 10 centimetres of snowfall
• Operating the fleet more than 11,000 kilometres per week to replicate customer service
• Maintaining service for 16 hours per day
• Ensuring a full complement of staff to proactively manage and mitigate any problems that arise during testing

With this rigorous testing complete and final preparatory works underway, it is expected the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open to the public in the coming weeks. To ensure a smooth launch, service levels on the line will gradually increase over the first six months, a standard approach for major LRT projects worldwide.

Opening Day Service

• Hours of operation: 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• Peak frequency: Every 4 minutes and 45 seconds

Six-Month Service

• Hours of operation: 5:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.
• Peak frequency: Every 3 minutes and 30 seconds

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT, also known as Line 5 Eglinton, is a 19-kilometre light rail line with 25 stations and stops along Eglinton Avenue. It runs between Mount Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy Station, with more than 10 kilometres of the route underground. The LRT will link to 54 bus routes, three TTC subway stations and two GO lines, making transfers simple and affordable so people spend less time in traffic and more time at home.

Featured image: (Metrolinx)