Ontario awards contract to build elevated stretch of Eglinton Crosstown West Extension
Adedokun Waliyu 
Ontario has awarded the contract to design and build the Eglinton Crosstown west extension.
The elevated west portion of the line will be constructed by Aecon Infrastructure Management Inc. and will be about 1.5 kilometres in length.
It will run along the north side of Eglinton Avenue from west of Scarlett Road to east of Jane Street. The subway will head underground again and connect with the future Mount Dennis station.
“Elevating the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension over the Humber River will maximize travel time savings for commuters, while minimizing impacts to surrounding communities,” reads a release from the province.
The Ford government says the extension will support as many as 4,600 jobs annually during construction and attract more than 69,000 daily boardings by 2041.
The announcement on the development of the line west extension comes before the completion of line itself. Earlier this month, officials provided their first in-station Eglinton Crosstown LRT construction update in nearly two years.
Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster reiterated a recent commitment to advise the public of the opening date three months before the line becomes operational. The comments came during a tour of Eglinton station at Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue.
The Eglinton Crosstown was supposed to be open in 2020, but a series of construction, pandemic and legal issues have prolonged the project.
