Bad news, commuters: the Eglinton Crosstown LRT may be delayed again
Outgoing TTC interim CEO says September opening 'is a reach'
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT opening date may be delayed again.
At Thursday's TTC board meeting, Coun. Josh Matlow asked outgoing TTC interim CEO Greg Percy if the long-delayed light rail transit line would be ready to open this September.
"We're looking at still this fall to get something happening," answered Percy. "I think September is a reach, but this fall is plausible and certainly by year-end."
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said last month that the Eglinton Crosstown light rail transit line was on track to open this September.
The 25-stop line was initially set to open in 2020, but a series of technical problems and associated cost overruns have plagued the project and repeatedly delayed its completion. Construction on the line began in 2011.
TTC took control from Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown last month. Metrolix CEO Michael Lindsay said at the time that the system and vehicles were being "relentlessly" stress tested.
Former Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster previously said the transit agency would announce an opening date for the crosstown three months ahead of time.
Transit advocates ask for more transparency on opening
Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of the transit advocacy group TTC Riders, said Metrolinx needs to be "open and transparent" with transit users.
"We'd love an answer as to why it's not opening, and when it's going to open, and how it got this bad to begin with," Pulsifer told reporters on Thursday.
"They said they would give three months notice when it was going to open, and we're not there, so what are we looking at now? October? Are they going to open it in the middle of winter, or is it gonna wait until next year?"
Coun. Dianne Saxe told reporters on Thursday that there have been no signs from Metrolinx that the crosstown is within 90 days of being able to open.
"We haven't got the notice they promised," she said. "It's an enormous stretch to have it open by September."
She also said that the public is not blaming the province enough for the opening delays.
"This is the result of provincial government decisions. If the TTC had been allowed to build this, it would have been open years ago," said Saxe.
Metrolinx won't answer what kind of issues are left to fix in the project, Saxe said.
Decision for opening date falls with Metrolinx: Percy
Percy said at Thursday's board meeting that the decision on the opening date still falls with Metrolinx. He said safety and customer experience are key issues, and that the TTC won't open it until "it is satisfying both."
After serving as TTC's interim CEO for almost a year, Percy will be replaced by the transit agency's new CEO, Mandeep Lali.
On Tuesday, Lali told CBC Radio's Metro Morning that his first priority after assuming the role earlier this month is to increase reliability for the transit agency.
He called the position a "once in a lifetime opportunity in terms of what's happening here in Toronto."
"If you look at the two brand new lines coming on board, where in the world are you seeing that kind of level of construction and development?" he said, referring to the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch West LRT.
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With files from Lane Harrison