TTC CEO Andy Byford responded to a barrage of media questions Wednesday over the growing costs of the Leslie Street Connection Track.

The TTC is looking for $105 million in spending to be authorized at a TTC Board meeting today in order to complete the installation of track along Leslie Street between the Leslie Barns streetcar facility and the existing streetcar network on Queen Street. That’s roughly $50 million more than current funding for the project allows. The increase would bring the total cost of the project up to $497 million.

Speaking on CP24 Wednesday, Byford said the cost overrun is due to the need to replace a trunk sewer – a piece of infrastructure that would not normally fall under a TTC project.

“At the end of the day there’s only one taxpayer. The dilemma I faced was do I argue about that or do we just get on with it and I’ll take the controversy,” Byford said. “The fact is it’s an 80-year-old sewer. It’s silted up. It needs to be redone. I don’t want to dig up the road twice.”

Earlier in the day, TTC Chair Karen Stintz responded heatedly to suggestions that the project had ballooned from an original cost estimate of $14 million.

Stintz said the original figures discussed at city council were merely rough estimates for parts of the project and said quoting them now gave the appearance of budgetary mismanagement.

“The reality is when we go forward with a $500 million project we are required to put estimates in that are then seen as gospel,” Stintz said. “But then we have to re-evaluate and those adjustments are upwards and so it appears we can’t manage a budget but that isn't the case.”

Byford also spoke to concerns that new streetcars don’t fit properly at existing platforms on St. Clair Ave.

“Because this is unique and something that hadn’t been accommodated onto a streetcar before, the design for the ramp hadn’t been completed,” Byford said. “A lot of roads are different heights. So now we have to go back. It’s all budgeted money.”

Earlier in the day, Byford told CP24 he finds business at the city more political than anyplace he’s worked before.

“This is a very political city,” Byford said. “It’s certainly the most political place I’ve ever worked. I’ve certainly noticed that in my mandate as head of the TTC.”

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