Toronto: Eglinton Crosstown (LRT) crews launch giant tunneling machine

from the Toronto Star:



By: Tess Kalinowski Transportation reporter, Published on Wed Jun 05 2013


[font size="1"]Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star
Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, flips the switch on the giant tunnelling machine that is finally beginning the big dig for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, while Bruce McCuaig, left, president and CEO of Metrolinx watches.[/font]


The earth didn’t exactly move. But the launch of the first of four giant tunnel boring machines that will dig the Eglinton Crosstown LRT marked a seismic shift of sorts on Toronto’s transit scene.

Eighteen years after the provincial Conservative government stopped subway construction on Eglinton, the $4.9 billion, 19-kilometre Crosstown will help put Toronto back on the world transit map, promised Ontario Transportation Minister Glen Murray.

“We are not going to be second-class citizens in the world any more when it comes to transit. Torontonians are going to join every major city from Paris to Shanghai on building the highest quality transit in the world. We know without it we can’t compete,” he told media and construction crews at the tunnel launch shaft at Black Creek Dr.

More than half of the Crosstown — about 10 kilometres — will function like a subway, running under the road. With 14 underground stations and 11 surface stops, it will connect to 54 bus routes and three subway stops at Eglinton West, Yonge St. and Kennedy, as well as the Scarborough RT, which is also getting a $1.8 billion light rail renovation. ..........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/06/05/eglinton_crosstown_crews_launch_giant_tunneling_machine.html