CANADA: Tunnel boring for Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit project was completed on August 17 when TBMs Don and Humber broke through at Yonge Street after a 3·3 km journey from a site just east of Brentcliffe Road.
Each of the two TBMs boring the eastern tunnel section installed 26 178 precast concrete tunnel segments, which formed 4 363 rings. They started tunnelling in September 2015.
Following the start of initial construction works in mid-2011, tunnelling began in June 2013 with TBMs Dennis and Lea digging the western tunnel section between Black Creek Drive and Yonge Street. This was completed in May 2016. Caterpillar supplied the four TBMs, which transport authority Metrolinx ordered in 2010 at a cost of C$54m.
The 5·75 m diameter twin bore tunnels form 10 km of the 19 km Crosstown LRT line, which will serve 25 stops along Eglinton Avenue between Mount Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy. Opening is scheduled for 2021.
Crosslinx Transit Solutions was awarded the C$9·1bn construction and maintenance contract last year. The consortium comprises ACS Infrastructure Canada, Aecon, EllisDon, SNC-Lavalin and Dragados Canada. The light rail vehicles are to be supplied by Bombardier, and the line is to be operated by incumbent city transport operator TTC.
