We know that residents in our downtown communities have been dealing with a number of significant construction projects recently, including on King Street West.
The timing of these necessary improvements was the unfortunate result of many years of neglect: a refusal to sufficiently invest in our City and its residents’ safety.
My enduring commitment is to ensure we are investing in our infrastructure in a timely way to ensure residents can navigate our City safely and reliably.
Last month, we announced the reopening of one lane in each direction on King West, significantly improving congestion in the area and nearby Liberty Village.
Today, I’m pleased to announce the full opening of King Street West from Dufferin to Shaw 10 weeks earlier than expected.
The King Street West construction project was a significant undertaking: work began by the City and the TTC in February to renew aging streetcar tracks. The City also replaced the 146-year-old watermain.
My advocacy has always been to ensure residents are connected and informed about construction in their neighbourhoods: and that we are expediting these projects wherever possible. This is essential to keep our City moving and to mitigate disruptions for residents.
Thank you to all of the City staff working in the Public Consultation Unit and to the TTC for their work to support an early reopening, and for working collaboratively with my office to share status updates and address resident feedback.
Over the next week, construction barrels on the boulevard and equipment on Jefferson Avenue will be removed. There may be minor short-term deficiency work to follow.
Given the completed road work, the TTC will have crews attend the site to restore power to the streetcar overhead wiring. Following power restoration, crews will commission and test the newly built streetcar tracks, which will allow the TTC to resume regular service on 501 Queen, 504 King, 508 Lake Shore and 63 Ossington routes in October.
Our work continues on other measures to alleviate congestion and manage traffic in Liberty Village. Get more information on the Liberty Village Traffic Action Plan, coming to Council in October, at ausmamalik.ca/lvtraffic.
