As construction continues for the Scarborough Subway Extension, a corner of Eglinton Avenue East and Midland Avenue is being transformed to keep traffic, pedestrians and cyclists moving.

Construction has been underway since spring 2021 to extend the TTC’s Line 2 subway further north into Scarborough, with three new subway stations.

As crews continue to assemble the project’s tunnel boring machine (TBM) – known as Diggy Scardust – inside the launch shaft for its tunnelling journey to begin, preparations are already underway at the finish line of the 7.8-km tunnelling project.

Why is the tunnel boring machine called Diggy Scardust? Read the full story here.

The extraction shaft, where Diggy will eventually be pulled out of the ground, will be located at the south-east corner of Eglinton Avenue East and Midland Avenue.

The extraction shaft will be about 24 metres deep, with a volume equivalent to over three Olympic-size swimming pools. So, planners had to look at best practices and lessons learned from other projects to get creative on reducing traffic impacts as much as possible at this busy intersection.

Working with the City of Toronto and other experts, Metrolinx planners came up with a solution to move the east side of the intersection slightly north. This will allow for traffic to continue flowing smoothly while construction for the extraction shaft is underway and until the TBM is eventually pulled from the ground.

Crews will also build a temporary sidewalk along the new road for pedestrians.

Work has already begun on the new road to shift traffic at the intersection. The road is expected to be paved and ready for use in the next few weeks.

To help with a smooth transition to the new roadway for traffic and pedestrians, crews will shift the intersection overnight.

As construction continues, Metrolinx will continue to work with key partners, contractors and other experts. The transit agency aims to ensure that all detours are safe, effective and supported by clear signage so people in these areas can move around easily and safely.

As traffic plans are refined, Metrolinx will continue to share updates with the community to get input and keep residents informed about any changes.

To find the latest traffic management plans along the project route, visit the project’s Traffic Management page on Metrolinx Engage.

For the latest information on the Scarborough Subway Extension, visit the project website and follow the project on Twitter @ScarbSubwayEXT.