GO Transit: Construction Projects (Metrolinx, various)

[cplchanb]

The community email that went out, which was shared in the GO Service Thread, said there will be construction on the Stouffville line between Sheppard and the 401, which suggests the West Highland Creek area. There will also be work completed on the Finch grade separation.

Metrolinx homepage

Over the next decade, we’re changing transit to make it better: Faster travel. Seamless connections.

view.community.metrolinx.com

On the Stouffville Line, crews will carry out several construction activities between Sheppard Avenue East and Highway 401. The work includes signal upgrades near Highland Creek and the construction of new retaining walls in the area.  

In addition, crews will prepare the Finch Avenue East underpass project site for the construction of the future detour route. 


There is a significant amount of work occurring on the LSE corridor this weekend too. Utility relocations and track maintenance to prepare for 3rd and 4th tracks in the future.

sigh.... was getting a bit excited but its just signalling work...

 

[PShells]

sigh.... was getting a bit excited but its just signalling work...

I'm speculating that the retaining wall work is preparatory work to constructing the culvert and eventually getting the line double tracked through Agincourt.

After what feels like 2 years with minimal progress on this culvert, I'm not going to let perfect get in the way of any incremental progress. I'm hopeful we see half a dozen weekend closures between March and June 2026 to suggest significant work has been scheduled.

...and seeing the Mount Joy passing track on Merx before year-end would be a cherry on top.

 

[smallspy]

I'm speculating that the retaining wall work is preparatory work to constructing the culvert and eventually getting the line double tracked through Agincourt.

After what feels like 2 years with minimal progress on this culvert, I'm not going to let perfect get in the way of any incremental progress. I'm hopeful we see half a dozen weekend closures between March and June 2026 to suggest significant work has been scheduled.

...and seeing the Mount Joy passing track on Merx before year-end would be a cherry on top.

As I've written elsewhere....

The remaining bridge over Highland Creek - the one immediately north of the Highland interlocking - will not be completed for many years. The whole area needs to be re-engineered and rethought.

Dan

 

[kotsy]

Looking up the LSE corridor from Eastern:

Dundas & Logan bridge reconstruction:

 

[PShells]

While nowhere near as exciting as kotsy’s photos I saw work crews, including excavators, doing what I presume to be SOGR maintenance on the ST line in Markham and Stouffville while doing errands today.

I will take some photos of West Highland Creek and the Finch grade separation on my Monday morning commute.

 

[ScreamingViking]

Girder or some kind of steel beam erected along the south side of the Etobicoke Creek bridge.

View attachment 695110

Thank you. There is also one on the north side.

After reading about it here, I hold my breath every time the train goes over that bridge. Though I hope whatever was in imminent danger has been shored up. I probably should hold breath for others too, but there are many and it's not like it would matter.

 

[cplchanb]

As I've written elsewhere....

The remaining bridge over Highland Creek - the one immediately north of the Highland interlocking - will not be completed for many years. The whole area needs to be re-engineered and rethought.

Dan

How come its in years.... low on the priority scale or no funding? This is a tiny bridge. Ive engineered and fukly constructed a 65 storey building in shorter time.

 

[reinventingthewheel]

How come its in years.... low on the priority scale or no funding? This is a tiny bridge. Ive engineered and fukly constructed a 65 storey building in shorter time.

Resistance from CPKC, who would contend with significant interruptions due to construction. They’re not particularly cooperative, which is not unreasonable considering they don’t stand to gain anything by being charitable.

 

[drum118]

Nov 16
Saw trucks and crew working east of Danforth Station and couldn't get any shots. With all the screens saying no service, there were people waiting for a ghost train on the platforms.

 

[smallspy]

How come its in years.... low on the priority scale or no funding? This is a tiny bridge. Ive engineered and fukly constructed a 65 storey building in shorter time.

Brand new 65 storey buildings don't have to worry about causing neighbouring structures to collapse.

This one does.

Resistance from CPKC, who would contend with significant interruptions due to construction. They’re not particularly cooperative, which is not unreasonable considering they don’t stand to gain anything by being charitable.

The only resistance from CPKC is to their own bridge falling. They have no concerns otherwise.

Dan

 

[PShells]

Whatever construction they did over the weekend seemed to have created signal issues this morning at the Finch grade separation and near Danforth GO, which meant I had to catch an earlier train. I was not able to take clear photos on my iPhone, but I have a video. I’ll figure out how to attach it.

A quick summary of items identifiable by a layperson:

Construction is ramping up at Finch grade separation. There appears to be a steady increase in the amount of heavy machinery at the construction site.

There were no notable changes at West Highland Creek. There’s additional heavy equipment parked at the staging area. None of the sandbags have been moved from the staging area to the creek. There is a new precast concrete box in the staging area waiting to be inserted into the ground somewhere (I don’t know the formal name for these support structures).

I did not notice any changes to slow zones on the ST line (e.g., the crawling through Progress Ave remains).

There are girders installed over Eastern Ave that were not in kotsy’s Saturday photos.

Signal work, utility relocation, track maintenance and other important unsexy work obviously isn’t easy to identify.

 

[PShells]

Travelling northbound on the ST line going over the West Highland Creek as you approach Agincourt GO.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I agree with people saying work takes time, but you have to have contingency plans. As Metrolinx owns most of this corridor, it's on them to finish this. The project should have been done during covid.

 

[PShells]

The work done at West Highland Creek was replacing a storm drain and building a retaining wall around the signal mast.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1990521915866267940

 

[crs1026]

I made a trip on the Barrie line today, and I have to say I was impressed at just how much civil work has fallen into place towards eventual double tracking. With very few gaps, there is now a subgrade fully laid from Davenport all the way to Maple. North of Maple, the work isn't quite as far along, but a lot of earthmoving has been done. Sound walls and security fencing is also pretty much complete with very few gaps. There was evidence of some prep for adding the second track at key grade crossings.

There are a few specific prerequisite tasks remaining that I would predict ML will finish before Onxpress tackles track construction, as they would be even more difficult to complete with added trains running

- The grading south of Bloor is incomplete, and telco/utility work is evident at Queen and at Dundas/College
- Lansdowne GO station
- Removal of the Hydro pylons south of Eglinton
- Caledonia GO station
- Downsview Park second platform and Sheppard Ave bridge
- Maple GO station
- Aurora second platform

Having said that, one would hope that ML would attack these things in earnest in order to get this line to a full 2WAD state. It could be the model line for other routes.... whereas if ML rested on its oars now, it would be a waste of all the money invested to date. If ML is looking to redeem its reputation by making a significant step forward, this might be the opportunity.

- Paul