With a target completion date of 2021, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario have made another step forward in delivering the Crosstown LRT. Crosslinx Transit Solutions has now signed the contract for the construction and maintenance of the 19-kilometre transit route. The $9.1 billion value of the contract includes a 30-year maintenance agreement which allocates funding to the lifecycle repair and renewal of systems components. 

The Alternative Financing and Procurement Model being used for the project resulted in a contract $2 billion less than the original estimate, resulting in taxpayer savings and a transfer of risk—including the possibility of cost overruns—to the private sector. The LRT will travel along Eglinton Avenue from Weston Road to Kennedy Station in the east end. A 10-kilometre underground portion between Keele Street and Laird Drive is currently being tunnelled with four massive boring machines. 

The revised station names, image courtesy of Metrolinx

“We are making great progress on the Crosstown LRT and I am very pleased that we have reached this milestone," Steven Del Duca, Ontario's Minister of Transportation, stated. "By providing light rail transit across the city, we will help thousands of commuters get where they need to be quickly and easily. The Crosstown LRT is further proof of our commitment to manage congestion, keep the region moving, and improve the quality of life for Ontarians.”

The final names for the Eglinton Crosstown's 25 stations are now being decided by Metrolinx following public comments received in October. When complete, the LRT will travel at an average speed of 28 kilometres per hour, representing a significant upgrade from the current average bus speed of 17 kilometres per hour. The Crosstown is the largest transit expansion project undertaken in Toronto history. 

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