Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario government is issuing requests for proposals (RFPs) to design and build the Pape Tunnel, underground stations, and the elevated guideway and stations for the Ontario Line subway in Toronto.
The contract for the Pape tunnel and underground stations includes three kilometres of twin tunnels and two new stations – one at Cosburn Avenue and another at Pape Avenue, where the Ontario Line will connect to the existing Line 2. The contract will also include construction of two new portals where the line transitions between above-ground and underground operations.
The contract for the elevated guideway and stations includes a three-kilometre elevated guideway, emergency exit buildings, and five above-ground stations – two within Metrolinx’s existing rail corridor (Riverside-Leslieville and Gerrard) and three along the elevated guideway in the northern part of the route (Thorncliffe Park, Flemingdon Park, and the Science Centre).
“We received significant interest from the market in these progressive design-build contracts and look forward to seeing their proposals that will deliver more tunnels, stations and a new elevated guideway for the northern segment of the Ontario Line,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario.
Construction is underway at Exhibition Station, the site of the future Corktown and Moss Park stations and in the joint rail corridor east of the Don River. Once complete, the approximate 15.6-kilometre Ontario Line will accommodate nearly 400,000 trips each day, bringing much-needed rapid transit to more communities across the GTA.
The Ontario Line is expected to create 4,700 jobs annually during construction over the next 10 years.
The provincial government has announced more than $70.5 billion over the next decade for public transit in the province.
A rolling stock, systems, operations and maintenance (RSSOM) contract was awarded last year to Connect 6ix. Work includes designing and supplying the Ontario Line fleet of trains, as well as designing and building the maintenance and storage facility and central control systems.