What to know
- Metrolinx has started excavating four underground stations on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension at Martin Grove, Kipling, Islington and Royal York.
- The 9.2-kilometre extension will add seven new stations and extend rapid transit from Mount Dennis to Renforth.
- Once complete, the extension is expected to save riders up to 24 minutes travelling between Yonge and Eglinton and Square One.
- Metrolinx has not announced an opening date for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.
Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension has reached a major milestone, with excavation now underway at four future underground stations.
Metrolinx says crews have begun excavating station boxes, the underground structures that form the main body of each station, at Martin Grove Road, Kipling Avenue, Islington Avenue and Royal York Road along Eglinton Avenue West.
Four underground stations now under construction
The excavation work marks another step forward on the 9.2-kilometre extension, which will carry the Eglinton Crosstown LRT farther west from Mount Dennis toward Mississauga.
Once complete, the extension will create nearly 30 kilometres of continuous rapid transit along Eglinton Avenue, linking Scarborough, Midtown Toronto and Mississauga.
According to Metrolinx, the extension is expected to reduce travel times by up to 24 minutes for riders travelling between Yonge and Eglinton and Square One.
Seven new stations planned
The extension will add seven new stations to the line. The stations at Jane Street and Scarlett Road will be elevated, while the line will terminate at Renforth, near Toronto’s western boundary with Mississauga.
“The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will link transit riders in Etobicoke and Mississauga to transit options across the region, cutting travel times and connecting workers and families to good jobs, vital services and more,” Premier Doug Ford said in a news release.
Part of Ontario’s transit expansion
The project is part of Ontario’s $70-billion transit expansion plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, which also includes the Ontario Line, the Scarborough Subway Extension and the Yonge North Subway Extension.
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT officially opened in February with 25 stations between Mount Dennis Station and Kennedy Station.
The project took roughly 15 years to complete after multiple delays pushed back its original 2020 opening date.
Metrolinx has not announced when the west extension is expected to open.
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is one of several major rapid transit projects currently under construction across the Greater Toronto Area. Together with the Ontario Line, Scarborough Subway Extension and Yonge North Subway Extension, it forms part of the province’s long-term transit expansion plan.
The original Eglinton Crosstown LRT entered service earlier this year after roughly 15 years of planning and construction. Its delayed opening has kept public attention focused on the timeline for future Metrolinx projects, including the west extension.
