By Robin MacLennan
Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Eglinton Crosstown West extension reached a construction milestone last week when a tunnel boring machine nicknamed Renny passed the halfway point – completing over three kilometres of the roughly six-kilometre tunnel.
Renny started tunnelling in April 2022.
The 9.2-km. extension will run from the future Mount Dennis station to Renforth Drive and will operate mainly underground. Once complete, it will create a continuous rapid transit line that stretches from Scarborough, through midtown Toronto, and into Mississauga.
Tunnelling started last April from the tunnel launch site near Renforth Drive and boring machines will emerge from underground west of Scarlett Road.
The second tunnel boring machine, Rexy, is not far behind Renny. Since July, Rexy has tunnelled 2.45 kilometres and reached the first headwall location at Martin Grove Road.
Follow the TBM’s journey using the tracker on the project website.