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The City of Toronto is making drivers aware of an intersection closure in downtown Toronto beginning Monday.
In a post to social media, the city said Bay Street and College Street will be closed until mid-April to allow the Toronto Transit Commission to renew streetcar tracks.
The traffic alert notes the closure will begin at 7 a.m. Monday. Pedestrian and business access will remain open, while a cycling detour will be implemented.
The city is asking drivers to plan ahead.
On its website, the city said the construction will also look to replace the combined sewer and combined service lateral pipes on College Street from Yonge Street to Bay Street.
“This work is required to bring the combined sewer and streetcar track infrastructure to a state of good repair,” the city said.
Work on the intersection will be paused from mid-April to the end of July and will be officially completed in December, the city added.
The streetcar will be diverting between Parliament Street and McCaul Street along Dundas Street W. There will also be a 506B bus, which will run between Broadview Avenue, Gerrard Street W. and Spadina Station. (Paul Smith/CBC)
Pedestrians making their way through the intersection told CBC Toronto the construction would significantly impact their commute, with some leaving home early to make it to work or school on time and others complaining of the detour when they’re carrying many heavy things. One student in particular said the city only sent them a notice in the mail a week ago.
Construction will break for World Cup
TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said the current infrastructure in the area is 25 years old.
“That’s end of life for us,” he said. “If we don’t do it, the risk of course is that it fails on us and we have to do an unplanned emergency closure. At least this way everybody is planned and coordinated.”
Green said the partnership between the TTC and the city has allowed them to both do work at the same time.
“It’s one big inconvenience and we understand that. But it’s really important work for both the city and the TTC to get done. And once it’s done, it’s good for decades,” he said. “If we can get it done sooner, we absolutely will.”
The break between April and July will be for the World Cup, during which no construction will be happening in the downtown core, Green said.
He added the streetcar will be diverting between Parliament Street and McCaul Street along Dundas Street W. There will also be a 506B bus, which will run between Broadview Avenue, Gerrard Street W. and Spadina Station.
“Frankly, if your destination is somewhere along this area, you might be better looking at a subway option,” Green said. “The subway’s going to get to here a bit quicker. I appreciate that not everybody can do that, but it is a another option for people.”