Waterfront Toronto has announced the schedule for reconstruction of Queen’s Quay between Spadina and Bay based on the long-awaited design by West 8 + DTAH.

Stage I: Summer 2012 to Summer 2013

The first stage concentrates on utilities and on the streetcar right-of-way.  Works include:

• Bell will install new duct banks and cabling during June and July 2012.
• Toronto Hydro will install new splicing chambers and cabling to replace existing worn-out infrastructure.  This work begins in July 2012 and will run for a year.
• A new sanitary sewer will be built in three stages (Rees to York, Bay to York, Lower Spadina to HTO West), and new storm sewers will be built in two areas (York to Bay, 350 Queen’s Quay to Rees).  This will replace existing aging sewers.
• The TTC right-of-way will be completely rebuilt from the portal west of Bay to just east of Spadina.  The new alignment is slightly different from the existing one, and will include wider platforms (2.4m).  Streetcar service will end on July 29, 2012, but demolition of the right-of-way will not start until the fall with the new corridor to be completed by late spring 2013 when the line will be electrified and streetcar service will resume.  The TTC will also be replacing the track in the Bay Street tunnel (new rails are already in place in the tunnel).
• During construction a replacement bus service will operate for route 509.  The service will run westbound on Queen’s Quay and eastbound on Lake Shore Blvd.  The connection to Union Station will be via north on York, east on Front, south on Yonge.  While Front is impassible due to construction, the route will be via York, Adelaide, Bay and Front to Yonge.
• Also in 2012 (as previously reported), there will be interim improvements to the pedestrian and cycling infrastructure from Bay to Jarvis to better link the eastern waterfront to the central portion.

Stage II:   Summer 2013 to Early 2014

The second stage concentrates on the north side of Queen’s Quay to reconfigure the roadway, rebuild the sidewalks and install tree pits ready for planting (which will be timed to benefit the trees even if the civil works are ready earlier).

The TTC will rebuild the intersection and loop at Spadina & Queen’s Quay over three weekends (one each for the intersection, the loop exit on Spadina and the loop entry on Queen’s Quay).  Streetcar service will be suspended for these weekends.

During this work, all road traffic will use the south side (existing eastbound) lanes on Queen’s Quay.  When the new north side is ready, traffic will be switched to the new lanes.  A new traffic crossover with signals will be installed west of Spadina so that eastbound cars can get from the existing lanes south of the streetcar right-of-way to the new north-side alignment.  Eventually, when it is time to rebuild the section from Spadina to Bathurst, this crossover will be eliminated because all motor traffic will be north of the streetcar lanes.

Stage III:  Early 2014 to Late 2014

The south side lanes and the sidewalk will be demolished.  They will be replaced with a new expanded promenade and with the Martin Goodman Trail (bike path).  Planting of the new double row of trees planned for this part of the street may be deferred to spring 2015 to ensure that the trees will survive.

General

The cost of this project is about $110-million of which $90m comes from Waterfront Toronto, $10m from the TTC and the balance from various utilities.  Waterfront Toronto will lead the construction work so that all sub-projects are co-ordinated and the disruption to any one part of Queen’s Quay is kept at a minimum.  There has already been extensive consultation with business and residents, and this will continue through the project to head off problems as they arise.

Sidewalks on both sides of Queen’s Quay will be laid with granite cobbles in a two-tone mosaic with a maple-leaf outlined in the pattern.  The total number of cobbles will be about 2.3-million with about 40% on the north side and 60% on the wider south side promenade.  Granite curbs will be used at the sidewalk edges.

Two public meetings will go into this project in more detail.

Wednesday, June 6 at Harbourfront Centre, Brigantine Room, 7-9 pm.  This meeting will include presentations on many projects underway in different parts of the waterfront.

Saturday, June 9 at Waterpark Place Lobby, 20 Bay Street, 10am-2pm.  This meeting will show detailed construction plans for the various phases and is intended for residents and businesses who want to see the final design and ask detailed questions.

Some information and images are available on Waterfront Toronto’s website.  The Fact Sheet contains details additional to the summary above.