Construction on the Hazel McCallion LRT in Mississauga is expected to continue for at least one more year.
The 18-kilometre light-rail line will feature 19 stops along Hurontario Street from Port Credit GO in Mississauga to the Brampton Gateway Terminal at Steeles Avenue.
During a Tuesday announcement marking completion of tunnelling on the Eglinton Crosstown West extension, Michael Lindsay, Metrolinx’s president and CEO, provided updates on the Hazel McCallion LRT.
Lindsay said 75 per cent of the track work is done, eight out of 14 traction power substations are energized and the maintenance and storage facility is energized.
“We hope to have all civil infrastructure on this project complete by roughly this time next year,” Lindsay said.
Once that construction is complete, the project will enter the testing phase, he added.
Mississauga officials, who’ve long expressed frustration at project delays, have said the project is hurting businesses and testing drivers’ patience daily.
Last September, Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish described the project as “an incredible mess.” She later told INsauga.com it wouldn’t surprise her if the new LRT route didn’t take its first passengers until 2029.
Metrolinx declined to provide an estimated date for when the new line would be open for passengers. Previous estimates were for 2028.
Lindsay’s comments come as light rail vehicle testing began on Edwards Boulevard and Topflight Drive this week. Metrolinx announced they would be doing slow-speed testing (10 km/h) from Aug. 11 to 18.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria noted the progress on the line in a post on social media last week.
“These are very exciting milestones for us,” said Sarkaria on Tuesday. “We know this will be a game-changer for the residents there”
With files from Declan Finucane
Lead photo: Metrolinx
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