Work to replace a 142-year-old watermain in Toronto is set to cause significant disruptions at the intersection of King Street East and Church Street, as the area will face restrictions for at least the next three months. This construction initiative aims to enhance the aging water infrastructure in the downtown area.
Beginning Sunday, the intersection will be subject to lane restrictions, allowing for one lane of traffic in each direction throughout various periods over the estimated 112-day duration. While the City anticipates maintaining at least one travel lane in each direction from May to July, a complete closure of the intersection is scheduled from July to August. This phase of the project will also include the removal of the existing streetcar tracks.
The City has indicated that excavation and heavy breaking activities will occur at various times during the day, primarily between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. The most disruptive operations will involve concrete breaking, which is expected to last for the first one to two days of each construction phase. To ensure the integrity and quality of new rail and concrete, round-the-clock work during rail installation conducted by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) will be necessary.
The impacts of the construction will also extend to streetcar services provided by the TTC. From May to June, streetcar operations on King Street will be suspended between River Street and Spadina Avenue. Replacement buses will run between Broadview Avenue and Gerrard Street East to Bathurst Street, as well as within the Distillery District.
Additionally, streetcars such as the 503/303 Kingston Road, 504/304 King, and 508 Lake Shore will experience diversions along Queen Street, specifically utilizing Church Street, Richmond Street (westbound), Adelaide Street (eastbound), and York Street, before rejoining King Street via Spadina Avenue. The 503 Kingston Road service will be extended, operating from Dufferin Gate to Bingham Loop during this period.
From July to August, the construction will continue, and the replacements for the 504C and 504D/304D King routes will divert around the affected intersection via Jarvis Street, Front Street (eastbound), Wellington Street (westbound), and Yonge Street. This is set to further complicate transit options for the public.
These diversions are projected to affect around 100,000 daily streetcar users, leading to travel time increases of five to ten minutes compared to usual conditions, depending on their final destinations. The City is optimistic that the project focused on watermain and track replacement will be completed by the end of August.
