Traffic restricted at Adelaide and York intersection as crews install TTC streetcar tracks

Traffic is restricted at the intersection of Adelaide and York Streets downtown as crews begin to install TTC streetcar tracks, the city says.

Crews began to install the streetcar tracks and work on several underground utility vaults on the south side of the intersection on Monday, the city said in a news release. That work will continue until the end of the month.

Here are the restrictions you need to know about if you're a motorist or cyclist:

Starting Wednesday, Nov. 1 until mid-December, the intersection of Adelaide and York Streets will be closed to traffic fully so that crews can safely install TTC tracks in the intersection. During the closure, streets around the intersection will be open to local traffic only.

The city says there will be pedestrian access at all times throughout construction and local businesses will remain open as usual.

"With so much construction taking place in the downtown core, drivers are advised to plan their travel in advance, expect delays, consider taking public transit, cycling or walking and obey signage around work zones for the safety of the work crews," the city said in the release.

The city says it expects TTC track installation between York and Victoria Streets will be finished by the spring of 2024. Lanes will reopen on Adelaide Street as crews complete sections of track, the city added.

"The track installation is an extension of the major construction project on Adelaide Street, from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street, which began last year to upgrade critical water, road and cycling infrastructure," the city said in the release.

"This work will also help reinstate streetcar tracks to provide the TTC with operational flexibility and improved service for streetcar customers."

The construction was "bundled" together in coordination with TTC and Metrolinx to minimize disruptions, it added.

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The city says crews have completed the following upgrades on Adelaide Street West:

The bike lane is open on Adelaide Street between Bathurst and York Streets and between Victoria and Parliament Streets, but closed between York and Victoria Streets while crew install streetcar tracks, according to the city.

Temporary pavement markings have been added on King Street West from Simcoe Street to George Street to prompt drivers to share the road because more cyclists may choose to use King Street West as an alternative route while construction on Adelaide Street continues, the city says.