The Finch West LRT project will give those in northwest Toronto a transit system that offers more choices to travel. The project will provide new cycling infrastructure that is safe and convenient, less travel time and increased reliability, accessible platforms, improved streetscapes and landscaping and improved access to work or recreation.
Nitish Bissonauth, Spokesperson for Metrolinx, tells Business Elite Canada that the Finch West LRT project includes 11-kilometres of new, dedicated light rail transit with 18 surface stops, including a below-grade stop at Humber College North Campus and an underground interchange station at the TTC’s Finch West Subway Station.
“It will also include a maintenance and storage facility for light rail vehicles. With trains that will run on a dedicated track, every 5-7 minutes during peak hours, the Finch West LRT will be giving those in northwest Toronto what they’ve wanted for a long time; a transit system that offers more choices to travel on their own schedule,” says Bissonauth.
How will the Finch West LRT better serve its community? By providing more transit options to a community that has been underserved for too long, says Bissonauth. “The Finch West LRT will provide residents of Northwest Toronto with the fast and reliable transit system they need and deserve,” he says. “With essential links to GO, TTC Line 1 and local transit in York and Peel Region, the Finch West LRT will increase connectivity for the neighbourhoods of Jamestown, Rexdale and Black Creek. The Finch West LRT will not only connect northwest Toronto like never before, it will also support economic growth in the region.”
Green & Technological Initiatives
Metrolinx’s top priority is to build transit infrastructure in a way that is protective of the environment. To that objective, the Finch West MSF will include a green roof and will be LEED certified. LRV’s produce near-zero emissions, making them the right choice for the environment. In July 2019, to save time and reduce traffic impacts, crews used an innovative engineering process called ‘rapid bridge replacement’ (RBR) to replace the Highway 400 bridge. They had built the new bridge next to the highway and replaced it over the course of two separate weekends.
Upon completion, the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF), located at 50 York Gate Boulevard, on the north west side of Finch Avenue West, west of Jane Street, will serve as the main home for the light rail vehicles required to service our GO rail networks.
“The 10,000 sq. metre facility has the capacity for 26 LRVs and will include a main shop for service, repair and inspection,” says Bissonauth. “The MSF also have a car wash facility, material storage building, administration office and 122 parking spots. Tracks will be running in both directions for LRV access (eastbound and westbound). Once construction of the MSF site is complete, Mosaic Transit Group will begin testing the LRVs and communication system.”
You can read more about the progress on the Finch West LRT project as well as the MSF here:
https://blog.metrolinx.com/?s=Finch+West+LRT
