According to the City of Toronto, the level crossing where Steeles Avenue East meets GO Transit’s Stouffville line, “limits the movement of pedestrians, cyclists, transit and vehicles in the area.” The City says the crossing results in “daily issues of congestion and many road users experience difficulties travelling along and across Steeles Avenue East.”

^ Level crossing near Milliken GO Station. To improve vehicular and pedestrian flow, the City of Toronto and Metrolinx are building a rail-over-road grade separation — a bridge. Image: Metrolinx.

In 2017, the City completed an environmental assessment to review options for improving the crossing by building a rail-over-road bridge. The bridge would decrease traffic congestion and increase safety, access and connections for all road users on Steeles Avenue East between Midland Avenue and Kennedy Road. The City also intends to widen the roadway to six traffic lanes, instead of four, install bicycle lanes and improve pedestrian amenities.

The City and Metrolinx have started working together to lower Steeles East between Old Kennedy Road / Silver Star Boulevard and Redlea Avenue, so that road users can move freely below, while GO trains and passengers get to their destination above along a new track. The project also includes a pedestrian bridge across Steeles to help passengers access Milliken GO Station.

According to a recent Metrolinx blog post by communications specialist Teresa Ko, contractors will dig out and remove more than 47,000 tonnes of material during the project. After that, they’ll build four retaining walls, relocate or connect hundreds of metres of public and private utilities and install a new underground storm-water tank and pumping station. (During heavy rainfall, the pumping station will drain, pump out and redistribute to the municipal storm-sewer system all water from the roadway.)

The post explains, “Early in the planning process, EllisDon Transit Infrastructure, the project’s prime contractor, realized that to make all of this happen they needed to create a large work area where they could safely build. At the same time, it was a priority to maintain community access to the hundreds of businesses in the area, and keep traffic flowing for vehicles traveling through the corridor, especially during peak hours.”

The contractors have built a temporary diversion road on the north side of Steeles East that maintains east- and westbound traffic and access to Milliken GO Station and the surrounding area.

^ The temporary diversion road for traffic on Steeles Avenue East between Old Kennedy Road / Silver Star Boulevard and Redlea Avenue. Image: Metrolinx.

The post contains an infographic that details the various steps to complete the project.

1. Shifting the rail track and vehicle traffic

• Contractors lay a diversion track for trains and shift vehicle traffic to a new temporary detour road. This gives room to build while maintaining access to Steeles East during construction.

2. Building the new bridge deck.

• A temporary shoring wall supports the trains, while they operate along the temporary diversion track. Diverting trains onto the temporary track allows contractors start building the new rail bridge. Bridge construction includes: installing the bridge pier; completing the bridge abutments; building the bridge deck; and installing the new permanent tracks.

3. Trains operate along the new tracks.

• After crews have completed the new rail bridge, they’ll remove the temporary diversion track and trains operate along the new tracks. That means phase 1 of excavation for the roadway can begin and crews can install utilities, such as the new 1350-millimetre water main.

4. Next phase of excavation begins.

• Phase 1 of roadway excavation is complete; phase 2 excavation begins. Contractors remove and decommission the old water main.

5. Traffic shifts to the south side of the new Steeles Avenue East roadway.

• When contractors have finished phase 2 excavation, they’ll grade and pave the south side of the underpass. Four lanes of traffic will be available to traffic and the temporary diversion road is no longer open. Traffic temporarily flows on the new lanes. Phase 3 excavation on the north side begins.

6. Traffic lanes open in both directions on Steeles Avenue East.

• Contractors finish roadway excavation is completed. Traffic flows on the two inside lanes in both directions. Crews continue working on the outer lanes to finish the retaining walls, curbs and sidewalks.

7. All traffic lanes open on Steeles Avenue East.

• The project is finished and all six lanes on Steeles East are open to traffic. Trains operate above.

Metrolinx infographic about the project. Click to enlarge.

Last weekend, the City closed Steeles Avenue East to traffic between Old Kennedy Road / Silver Star Boulevard and Redlea Avenue so that crews could rail tracks and rail crossing arms at Milliken GO and get ready to close the old roadway. Metrolinx also replaced trains with buses that weekend to support the change-over. By 5 a.m. Monday, June 1, traffic started flowing over the temporary diversion road.

The blog post quotes David Swanson, a Metrolinx senior manager. Swanson said, “This is an exciting milestone in the project that required months of planning and collaboration to create a smooth transition for everyone travelling through this busy corridor. For the past few years, the majority of the work has been underground and out of public view. From this point forward the community will really see the project start to take shape as we build the above-ground infrastructure.”

The temporary detour road will be in place “until late 2021” (or until about December 31, 2021). Widening Steeles Avenue will improve how buses drop off or pick passengers at nearby Milliken GO Station. The City and Metrolinx expect to complete construction of the new expanded roadway and rail and pedestrian bridge “by 2022” (or until about June 30, 2022.)

^ Rendering of the grade separation on Steeles Avenue East at Milliken GO Station. Metrolinx warns, “Renderings are subject to change.” Image: Metrolinx.

By the end of 2021, Milliken GO station will also include:

• a renovated platform beside the current track;
• a new second track and platform;
• two new pedestrian tunnels with elevators;
• canopies and shelters on the platforms to protect you from the elements;
• a canopy-covered walkway to Steeles Avenue East; and
• a pedestrian bridge across Steeles East that connects to both platforms.