Tunnel boring construction for the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE) has begun with Holey, Moley, Yorkie and Torkie leading the way. These are the official names of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will bore and build the tunnels for the TYSSE project. They will work in pairs below the ground to excavate through the soil and rock and build the subway tunnels. The $58 million TBMs are digging the first subway to cross Toronto’s municipal borders.
The TYSSE is an 8.6-kilometre extension of the Toronto Transit Commission’s Yonge-University-Spadina subway line from its present terminus at Downsview Station to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre at Highway 7. It will have six new stations, including Sheppard Avenue West, Finch West, York University, Steeles West, Highway 407 and Vaughan Corporate Centre. Morrison Hershfield has been retained as the Construction Management Consultant and will have over 60 staff assigned to this $2.6 billion project when it is running in full capacity later this year.
In keeping with the tradition of naming TBMs manufactured for specific projects, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) ran a contest in September 2010 inviting the public to suggest names for the two pairs of tunnel-boring machines. A judging panel selected the top ten pairs from a total of 720 entries and the public then voted online. Rosa Rinella of Vaughan, spouse of Morrison Hershfield’s own Robert Rinella, submitted the winning entries of Yorkie and Torkie. Rob and Rosa are pictured above with Bruce Miller, Morrison Hershfield's Executive Vice President, Infrastructure, Transportation and Environmental.
The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension will bring the benefits of rapid transit to residents and businesses in the northwest part of Toronto and will provide a vital link between Toronto and its neighbor, York Region. This link is an essential connection to Vaughan, establishing the first of two north-south subway lines connecting to the overall transit network in southern Ontario. Extending subway lines north will help reduce congestion and travel times, and provides other economic, social, environmental and public transit benefits for the region such as reduced emissions, cleaner air and an improved quality of life to those living, working and commuting around the Greater Toronto Area.
The Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment; the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation; His Worship Rob Ford, Mayor of Toronto; York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch; and Toronto Transit Commission Chair Karen Stintz were on hand June 17th, 2011 for the official launch of the tunnel boring construction. Also present were several Morrison Hershfield staff.
For updates on the progress of Holey, Moley, Yorkie and Torkie and the TYSSE project, visit the TTC website.