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Toronto's waterfront has morphed significantly over the past several years as improved walkways and parks have been built beside the lake. Problems have remained however with the infrastructure to get to and move through the area, so Waterfront Toronto has been busy improving the connectivity over the last couple years with a revitalization of Queens Quay Boulevard. While the work just can't be done quickly enough for some, everyone will be pleased to know that great progress has been made since our last look at the complicated project. UrbanToronto Forum contributor drum118 caught up with that progress recently and posted the following images of it.
The revitalization, which is being designed and overseen by West 8 and DTAH, consolidates road traffic in a smaller area, improves the streetcar line, and gives significantly more space over to pedestrians and cyclists while adding many trees.
For cyclists, modernization of the Martin Goodman Trail's central stretch through the Harbourfront area will come once vehicular traffic is moved to the new roadway. In the meantime, the new pedestrian promenade made up of pink and grey granite setts is being installed. Work on the maple leaf patterned promenade, visible in the images below, will open in stages, and along with the cycle path is expected to be complete by July of next year, in time for the 2015 Pan and Parapan Am Games.
Upgrades to transit infrastructure are also ongoing. Work on new tracks for the TTC's 509 Harbourfront line got under way earlier this Spring, and has been making steady progress ever since. Tracks have been moved about three metres south of their previous configuration, with their construction expected to be completed this summer. The TTC's 510 Spadina streetcar loop is currently being fully rebuilt as well, and in the image below, we can see new tracks connecting from the Spadina streetcar loop south to Queens Quay.
Roadwork recently got under way as well, and is expected to conclude in October with both directions of traffic restored, and moved to the north side of the rebuilt streetcar right-of-way.
Based on commitments made by the Ontario Liberal Party in their recent election platform, the revitalization of Queens Quay West will be followed in a few years by similar works on Queens Quay east of Bay Street.
For additional information including project facts and renderings, please visit our dataBase file for this project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum thread link, or voice your opinion in the comments section provided below.
