Motorists may want to take a few deep breaths or practice other in-car calming techniques because Toronto’s unofficial fifth season is about to get into full swing.
With warm days and sunshine on the horizon, city hall unveiled its top road construction projects for 2013 on Tuesday, vowing to resurface about 100 kilometres of roads by year’s end.
This year, the city is spending more than $155 million to improve roads, bridges and sidewalks, plus $17 million in repairs for the aging Gardiner Expressway and $60 million for water main and sewer replacement, boulevard greening and new planters and trees.
Though exact dates haven’t been released, major work will take place on the following routes:
- Kingston Road from Queen Street to Birchmount Road (Construction project underway.)
- Albion Road from Steeles Avenue to Highway 27.
- Keele Street between Falstaff and Arrowsmith avenues.
- Leslie Street from York Mills Road to Lawrence Avenue.
- Leslie Street between Steeles and Finch avenues.
- Wilson Avenue between Allard Avenue and Avenue Road.
The announcement comes with the usual warning of detours and delays for commuters.
Coun. Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of city hall’s public works an infrastructure committee, said he sympathizes with motorists, cyclists and public transit users who will be affected by the delays, but the work is “absolutely essential” to keep the city moving.
“It will cost a significant amount of money but it’s absolutely necessary work in order to improve and maintain our transportation infrastructure,” Minnan-Wong told reporters at a news conference at a Kingston Road construction site.
Minnan-Wong said the city will do what it can to minimize disruptions, and it is attempting to co-ordinate road projects with public utilities and communications companies so the same stretches of roads aren’t torn up multiple times in the same season.
Some projects began weeks ago. City crews have already filled more than 200,000 potholes this year, said Mayor Rob Ford.
The improvements are part of a $2.9-billion, 10-year capital plan to overhaul the city’s infrastructure.
At the news conference, Ford and Minnan-Wong said they want the province to contribute more cash for Toronto infrastructure projects.
Ford said he had a “good conversation” with Premier Kathleen Wynne a few weeks ago, but he does not know if there will be money in this year’s provincial budget.
“We always need money, that’s for sure,” Ford told reporters.
Ford and Minnan-Wong said they are not in favour of road tolls or “new taxes” to fund projects.
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