海角社区官网

Three days after the consortium building the LRT sued the provincial agencies in charge, accusing them of taking an 鈥渋rresponsibly hands-off approach鈥� to the fraught transit project, that same consortium gave the Star an exclusive interview and tour of the light rail transit line.

It鈥檚 been under construction since 2011 and still has no opening date. Until now, journalists and the public have had little insight into where the line鈥檚 construction stands, or what is holding things up.

Despite the slick appearance of some of the LRT鈥檚 stations and tracks 鈥� the Star rode about a quarter of the line, toured several major stations and drove along the at-grade portions 鈥� work still needs to be done. Notably, construction continues at the line鈥檚 flagship Yonge-Eglinton Station, several stations are being repaired for leaking and water damage, and an 800-metre stretch of track needs to be fixed because it鈥檚 currently too narrow. Time-consuming and extensive testing and commissioning work 鈥� in the words of the project director, 鈥渕aking sure each device is working and that they speak to each other鈥� 鈥� also needs to be done before the line can open for business.

But the biggest threat to the $12.8-billion transit line is the sour relationship between the construction consortium building it, Crosslinx Transit Solutions, and the provincial agencies overseeing it, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not getting along. We鈥檙e in a broken relationship. It has a big impact,鈥� said Geoff Smith, president and CEO of EllisDon, one of the four companies that makes up Crosslinx, calling the LRT 鈥渢he most strife-ridden project鈥� he鈥檚 worked on in his entire life.

Smith said he was motivated to speak to the Star 鈥� which is against the project agreement 鈥� because 鈥渢he public needs to hear a balancing voice.鈥�

鈥淲e really do get how frustrated everybody is with this thing ... we鈥檙e fairly frustrated ourselves.鈥�

In a notice of application filed Tuesday, Crosslinx asked the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to let it stop work on the LRT until Metrolinx signs a formal agreement with the line鈥檚 named operator, the TTC. According to Crosslinx, the TTC has dictated terms outside of Crosslinx鈥檚 contract, asking Crosslinx to 鈥渃hange its plans, designs and sequence of activities,鈥� without additional compensation from the province.

Metrolinx has called the lawsuit an 鈥渦nacceptable delay tactic鈥� and promised to fight it. A TTC spokesperson declined to comment for this story, and previously said 鈥渄iscussions to finalize (operating) agreements are ongoing鈥� with Metrolinx.

Crosslinx鈥檚 claims have not yet been proven in court.

This lawsuit is the latest challenge for the LRT, which has for years been beset by drama and delays, causing significant disruption to businesses, residents and commuters on Eglinton Avenue East.

On Tuesday, Metrolinx confirmed the LRT, initially set to open in 2021, would not open this year, but did not say when transit riders could expect to board trains.

Smith was also wary of offering up a timeline, but said Crosslinx aims to have its work done this year. However, he noted, that excludes any final work or testing that Metrolinx wishes to do. Metrolinx has the final say on when the line will open, he said.

Metrolinx spokesperson Andrea Ernesaks said the transit agency will not open the LRT 鈥渦ntil it is fully operational and safe for transit workers and riders.

鈥淎ll trains must be able to operate at full speed without derailing, and all parts of the line must meet all fire safety regulations,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s things stand, there are no stations with standing occupancy agreements rendering them functionally inoperable.鈥�

Crosslinx said 13 out of 15 stations are at pre-revenue service occupancy, which is 鈥渁ppropriate for a project at this stage.鈥�

Spending time on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, it鈥檚 obvious what the public is missing each time its opening is delayed. The trains feel like a sleeker, steadier, more hi-tech version of Toronto鈥檚 streetcars 鈥� but without the traffic. Whizzing along the street-level portion of the line, past Mount Dennis Station, sun streaming in through the windows, is a transit experience unlike anything else in Toronto.

The stations are big, bright and easy to navigate. At Kennedy Station, there鈥檚 a big skylight with a mural of fallen leaves that dot the walls with bright specks. Even beyond the orange pylons, exposed cement and piled pieces of cardboard at Eglinton Station, it鈥檚 possible to envision what a commute might look like when walking through a doorway that connects to Line 1, full of morning travellers. Soon this will be a much larger entrance, joining the LRT with Toronto鈥檚 busiest subway line.

The tunnels in the underground portions are lighter and smoother than what 海角社区官网commuters are used to 鈥� and so far without rats, at least as far as this reporter could see.

The front cab of the LRT, where the operator sits, looks more like a spaceship than a transit vehicle.

It鈥檚 hard not to think about how completely transformative the LRT will be when it鈥檚 open. If only we knew when that would be.

Metrolinx has put any issues with the LRT firmly at the feet of Crosslinx. In September, when announcing the latest delay, Metrolinx CEO Phil Verster said in a statement that Crosslinx 鈥渉ave fallen behind schedule.鈥�

But Smith said the provincial agency shares some of the blame. In his view, Metrolinx鈥檚 rigid, 鈥渃ontractual鈥� response to the many difficulties the LRT has faced 鈥� including those arising from issues outside of everyone鈥檚 control, such as the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and high inflation 鈥� has hurt the project.

鈥淓verybody underestimated the complexity of this job. We did, and we鈥檝e paid,鈥� Smith said.

鈥淭his is the kind of project that threatens companies. It鈥檚 been a really rough experience. But the government misunderstood the complexity, too,鈥� he added. Had Metrolinx taken a more collaborative approach, we wouldn鈥檛 be where we are now, he said.

Ernesaks said Metrolinx has 鈥渃onsistently offered to sit down with (Crosslinx) to work through their scheduling and productivity issues,鈥� noting any litigation related to the LRT has come from Crosslinx.

With little public information released, rumours have swirled about what problems could be derailing such a massive infrastructure project. By all appearances, construction is mostly finished and the outstanding work, while significant, can be completed in the coming months, according to Crosslinx.

In April, Verster said there were 鈥�260 non-conformances 鈥� quality issues 鈥� that must be rectified,鈥� mostly with the quality of the track work. Smith said there is nothing 鈥渦ntoward鈥� about the deficiencies remaining, which can be resolved at the same time as testing and commissioning, so as not to push the timeline back any further.

鈥淭he quality of the work that has been done over the last few years is terrific,鈥� he said.

鈥淭his is going to be a world-class transit system.鈥�

There is still work to be done at Eglinton Station, which has been the most challenging aspect of the LRT鈥檚 construction.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 been the sort of station that鈥檚 coming behind the other stations, largely because of its complexity, but also largely as a result of some of the interface issues we鈥檝e had at that particular location with (TTC) Line 1,鈥� said Bill Gifford, the president and project director for Crosslinx on the construction side.

The stop has been built beneath the existing Eglinton subway, and while building it Crosslinx uncovered defects with the old TTC infrastructure that needed to be repaired, causing delays. Standing on the LRT platform there, Line 1 rumbles above.

The bulk of the station work at Eglinton will be done in the next two to three months, Gifford said, while the road restoration work outside on Eglinton Avenue East should be wrapped up by November.

Crosslinx is also currently working to correct that roughly 800-metre stretch of track that is off by up to three millimetres, and should be done in several weeks, Gifford said.

Another outstanding problem is water damage affecting Cedarvale, Eglinton and Kennedy Stations, caused by a fault in the joining of two different water sealants. Upstairs at Cedarvale, floor tiles have been removed to reveal cracked concrete and sandy dust, which Crosslinx says is due to water leaks. Across the room, a red sign reads, 鈥淒anger due to wet floor.鈥� Gifford said Crosslinx has a number of solutions for the leaking, depending on the situation, such as injecting resin into the concrete to seal the area.

Both Gifford and Smith were confident about Crosslinx鈥檚 ability to get the remaining work done.

What鈥檚 less certain is how, or when, the issues between Crosslinx and Metrolinx will be resolved. Metrolinx has repeatedly said Crosslinx lacks a 鈥渃redible plan鈥� for completing the project 鈥� which Smith said Crosslinx can鈥檛 create until it has clarity over which TTC demands it鈥檚 expected to adhere to, and crucially, how it will pay for the work required to meet them. For example, Gifford said, the TTC would like to see a higher connectivity between the Crosstown鈥檚 vehicles and the TTC鈥檚 radio network.

Ernesaks said 鈥淐rosslinx is only expected to carry out work as per the project agreement.鈥�

This is the third time Crosslinx has sued Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario.

In 2018, Crosslinx sued for breach of contract, asking for damages and an extension, and was paid $237 million.

In 2020, Crosslinx sued Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario again, alleging COVID constituted an emergency and it was owed financial compensation and a later completion date. In 2021, an Ontario Superior Court Justice ruled in Crosslinx鈥檚 favour, and the province had to pay Crosslinx $325 million more.

Smith would not say how much money Crosslinx is looking for this time. However, he said Crosslinx is also asking Metrolinx to release $300 million it is withholding from the project fund.

鈥淢etrolinx is complying with the payment scheme as set out in the contract,鈥� Ernesaks said. 鈥淔urther substantial payments aren鈥檛 owed until the line is independently certified as ready for use, exactly as set out in the contract.鈥�

鈥淯ltimately Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario teams continue to work closely with (Crosslinx) in a constructive and engaged manner,鈥� she added.

鈥淭ogether, we have the same ultimate objective, namely to complete the Eglinton Crosstown LRT to operate safely and reliably for our 海角社区官网communities.鈥�