Metrolinx, Infrastructure Ontario Issue RFQ for Eglinton Crosstown West Extension Stations
Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario (IO) have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for stations on the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown West Extension. Besides the stations, the RFQ targets the rail and systems, making up what's called an SRS package, for the design, construction, and commissioning of the extension's seven stations.
Primarily underground but with an elevated guideway over the Humber Valley, the extension will add 9.2 km to the length of the Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown LRT, taking it from the soon-to-open Mount Dennis station at Weston Road west through York and Etobicoke to Renforth Drive at the city limits of Toronto and Mississauga, close to Pearson International Airport. The initial portion of Line 5 is grade separated from traffic from Mount Dennis station, mostly underground to nearly Leslie Street where it will have a surface stop, A final underground station is waiting to open at Don Mills Road before the line rises to the surface permanently, running to Kennedy subway and GO station in Scarborough, in reserved space in the median of Eglinton Avenue. The line will connect with the UP Express, GO Transit, Lines 1 and 2 subways, and many TTC bus routes.
Conceptual rendering of Renforth Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Renforth will be built in a trench immediately north of the most easterly stop on the Mississauga Transitway, a bus-only road that provides Bus Rapid Transit Service to MiWay and GO buses from the eastern edge of Mississauga to Square One in the centre, and then to Erin Mills in the west. The station location will facilitate easy transfers to MiWay, GO, and local TTC buses. Tunnelling for the extension began here in April, 2022.
Conceptual location of the Renforth Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Conceptual rendering of Martin Grove Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Martin Grove is designed as a below-grade facility at the northeast corner of Martin Grove Avenue and Eglinton Avenue West where four neighbourhoods meet: West Deane Park, Willowridge, Princess Margaret, and Richview Park. Besides the Eglinton 32A bus, it will offer connections to the East Mall 111 and Martin Grove 46 TTC bus routes.
Conceptual location of Martin Grove Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Conceptual rendering of Kipling-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Kipling-Eglinton, another below-grade station, will be on the northwest corner of those two streets, where the neighbourhoods of Richview Park, Princess Margarret, Princess Abbe Manor, and Richmond Gardens meet. Besides the Eglinton 32A bus, it will offer connections to the 45 Kipling TTC bus.
Conceptual location of the Kipling-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Conceptual rendering of Islington-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Islington-Eglinton is also set to be underground, at the northwest corner of those two streets, where the neighbourhoods of Richmond Gardens, Princess Anne Manor, Eden Valley, and Royal York Gardens meet. Besides the Eglinton 32A bus, it will offer connections to the Islington 37 TTC bus.
Conceptual location of the Islington-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
5. Royal York-Eglinton Station
Conceptual rendering of Royal York-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Royal York-Eglinton, another a below-grade facility, will be at the northwest corner of those roads, where the neighbourhoods of Royal York Gardens, Edenbridge, and Westmount meet. Besides the Eglinton 32A bus, it will offer connections to the Royal York 73 TTC bus.
Conceptual location of the Royal York-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Conceptual rendering of Scarlett Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Having risen to the surface and then onto an elevated guideway, Scarlett will bridge across that road on the north side of Eglinton, with entrances from either side of Scarlett Road. Where the neighbourhoods of Westmount and Edenbridge meet, to the east is the Humber River and its extensive ravine parks system. While the PanAm Trail that runs beside the Humber River crosses Eglinton Avenue here, all stations along the west extension are also close to the bike and pedestrian trails running alongside Eglinton Avenue as well. The station will also offer connections to the Scarlett 79 TTC bus as well as the Eglinton 32A.
Conceptual location of the Scarlett Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Conceptual rendering of Jane-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
Jane-Eglinton is the other elevated station, found amidst the Eglinton Flats parkland. It will boast entrances on the west and east sides of Jane Street north of Eglinton. Besides the Eglinton 32A and D buses, the station will also offer connections to the Jane 35 TTC bus.
Conceptual locaton of the Jane-Eglinton Station on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, by Metrolinx
While the RFQ proceeds, in the meantime an interactive map of the tunnel boring machines' progress shows that the twin machines, Rexy and Renny, are close to completing that stage of the work. As of publication day, Renny, creating the eastbound tunnel, has reached the west side of Royal York station, while Rexy, creating the westbound tunnel, is now halfway between Royal York Road and the portal west of Scarlett Road. We should therefore be seeing news of the TBMs surfacing again over the coming weeks.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database files, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.