Weary residents ask federal agency to mediate in Go Transit noise dispute

Toronto residents who live near Dupont Street and Dundas Street West have asked the Canadian Transportation Agency to mediate in a dispute over noise with GO Transit.

Since January, GO has been driving massive piles into the ground in the neighbourhood as part of a project to build new railway tracks.

People who live in the neighbourhood say the noise is driving them crazy and don't believe GO is serious about finding a solution to the problem.

Karen Williams, who lives in the area, says the group has asked the Canadian Transportation Agency to grant an interim injunction to stop the track construction. The group also wants an independent expert to review the project and look at ways it can be done without the intolerable pounding.

"It's as loud as ever," Williams told CBC News.

"I just got a call yesterday from a woman who by 10:30 in the morning has a pounding headache. She's laid off; she leaves her home every day to go walk downtown because she can't be in her home. We're hoping that the interim injunction will create some peace for the residents and put some pressure on GO Transit to take us a little more seriously."

The group hopes the Canadian Transportation Agency can meet with residents and GO officials in the next month.

"There's definite frustration." said Williams. "People's foundations are cracking. There's lots of frustrations. We've been meeting with them for over a month and they haven't offered us anything that would significantly reduce the noise or the vibration. And the minor methods they've suggested they could still look into — they haven't given us any firm timeline." 

GO says it is doing all it can to find ways to minimize the noise, but so far it hasn't  found an acceptable way to build the tracks without using the pile drivers.