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Dundas/Lansdowne Reconstruction

The second leg of College Loop is under construction at Dundas & Lansdowne, although the work has been interrupted by an unexpected gas main. The northern leg at College & Lansdowne was done in 2016, and the western leg at College & Dundas is planned for 2020 along with other work on the western end of the Dundas and Carlton routes.

A snag in the project is described in a comment on another thread:

Re: Dundas and Lansdowne, based on conversations with a TTC worker a few days ago, it seems that contractors discovered a previously unknown high-pressure gas main directly under the roadbed, thus the slowdown. (I had noticed a switch from demolition using heavy machinery to much slower work with handheld jackhammers in that area.) The worker I spoke to said that due to the discovery of the gas main they would be unable to install the west-to-north curve as current standards demand greater clearance between the tracks and buried gas lines. The pipe does indeed seem to be very shallow and is readily visible when standing on the northeast corner of the intersection. I was told that relocation of the gas main would not be possible within the current construction window and that the missing curve would have to be installed next year as part of the College/Lansdowne reconstruction. [comment by “slmably”]

Looking at the pending construction work map on the City of Toronto’s website, work is planned on Lansdowne south from College in 2019.

Here are photos of the work in progress:

Thursday, September 13. 2018

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Friday, September 28, 2018

2018.09.28 Looking E on Dundas at Lansdowne

15 thoughts on “Dundas/Lansdowne Reconstruction”

  1. If they can’t make the west to north curve how will they short turn Dundas cars? Go up Ossington?

    Steve: That’s how I would do it – Ossington, College, then back east on Dundas. There is even an electric switch westbound at Ossington although it probably does not work. First, of course, we have to get streetcars back on the 505. The Carlton car is trickier because it could not get back to College until Bathurst eastbound.

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  2. How long has the gas main been there? How is the new track work different than previously?

    Steve: Forever. The difference, as the comment quoted in the article noted, is that the standards for separation of the two have changed. The current track dates from 1985, but it is possible that, at the time, the TTC did not dig down to create a new foundation. I’m not sure if I have any photos of that work, but know that intersections were rather cheaply rebuilt in that era.

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  4. So how deep underneath College and Dundas is that same gas main? Hopefully they do some checking before tearing up the intersection next year!

    Steve: You can see the exposed part in the photos. It’s odd that only that short section is close to the surface.

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  5. You can see the exposed part in the photos. It’s odd that only that short section is close to the surface.

    Sorry Steve maybe I missed something in the photos. I saw that the gas main is close to the surface at Lansdowne and Dundas. Originally, I only saw that the gas main as straight, looking more closely I’m still not sure, is there a bend at the most westerly exposed portion where it goes lower? Also, they didn’t pour foundation for the east to north curve in the photos, I wonder if that curve is also impacted?

    My assumption was that it continues west and is travels beneath the intersection of College and Dundas. I was concerned it would impact that work next year as well.

    Steve: We will have to see what they actually build as the work progresses.

    On an unrelated note, there’s also been a collision at the intersection.

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  7. Refresh my feeble memory, but wasn’t there talk at one time of installing a southbound track on Lansdowne between College and Dundas? What it would have accomplished, I don’t know. Perhaps I dreamt this…

    Steve: Such a track would not accomplish anything, and some of the curves needed to attach it to Dundas and College would be quite sharp. I think we will see eastbound track on Adelaide again before a southbound track on Lansdowne.

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  8. “Steve: That’s how I would do it – Ossington, College, then back east on Dundas.”

    Better have tow trucks on standby, especially after a big snowfall where it is built up on the curb. Ossington Ave. residents are notorious for blocking streetcar lanes with their parked cars on the rare occasions where it’s in regular use.

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  9. The Carlton car is trickier because it could not get back to College until Bathurst eastbound.

    Is the east to north curve at Dundas and Lansdowne still there? There should not be a problem for Carlton Cars short turning.

    Steve: I assumed both curves to northbound Lansdowne would be missing. If they do put the E-to-N back now, then Carlton isn’t affected.

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  10. Kinda-Sorta related to the construction but my wife had a funny experience on the detouring buses yesterday morning. She boarded at Sorauren and headed east, the bus driver followed the detour until Dufferin where he turned NORTH (instead of south to Dundas). My wife tells me that he pulled over and made a call then proceeded north to Bloor, then back west to Dundas and started the route over again. However, when he turned left at Dundas (from Bloor) he signed the bus as “Not in Service” he only let people off the bus but didn’t pick anyone up.

    Just wondering why that would happen? Why would he sign on as “Not in Service” and by pass all the stops? Does he need to get back to where he was supposed to be?

    Steve: Running express to get back on time is a new trick the TTC seems to be using.

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  11. There’s been an update. They will be partially reopening the intersection on October 1. Lansdowne north of Dundas will remain closed. It sounds as if they are reopening traffic with a single lane in each direction on Dundas given that the notice mentions, “the traffic lanes on the north half of Dundas Street West will remain closed until early November” and the diversion information states, “505 Dundas: buses will operate both ways through the Dundas/Lansdowne intersection.”

    Steve: Thanks for catching this. I was at the intersection today (Sept 28) and have added a photo of the current state of construction to the article. It looked as if Dundas might reopen, at least the southern two lanes, while they sorted out the north side, and the notice confirms this.

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  12. Not that it’s of any transit importance, but I think the west side of that little stretch of Lansdowne [between Dundas and College] is the site of the murder of Det/Sergeant Tong by an Leonard Jackson, of the Boyd Gang in 1952.

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  13. Looks like there’s finally been some progress on the curve. Passed by early this morning and they were working on it with lights, and they were at it when I passed by later in the day.

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  14. I just swung by this evening, and was surprised to find both curves are going in. The west-to-north has several ties that look to have been removed. Not sure what they’re doing now and whether it still necessitates coming back to it next year.

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  15. Yeah! This intersection has been always in reconstruction all the time like every year. With the some parts of road closure from Dundas and College. The 47 Lansdowne Can instead of Using College, Dufferin, and Queen they can Use the Regular route instead. Going Via College and Dundas and Lansdowne Both Ways. But however this is reflecting the schedules on this route particular and fewer less Buses on route and the headways has largely increase of the 47B Trips to Yorkdale instead of 20 Mins for the B its like 30-40 Mins at most times and A Trips To St Clair 20 to 30 Mins. As well as the Construction up at Dufferin and Bridgeland with the Highway 401 Highway of Heroes overpass has been delaying the 47 Lansdowne even more resulting into a much more Heavier Headways on B Trips. The construction of this Intersection has been on going for ever I remember couple years ago it was Dundas to Rideau but it took like a Year for that Construction.

    Steve: And at some point in the next few years, they will do the western third of the intersection where Dundas meets College plus track to the west. I believe there is work on the Sterling Road bridge planned also.

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