Spadina subway extension delayed until at least winter 2017

CP24.com
March 20, 2015
By Joshua Freeman

Those dreaming of riding the rocket up to York University and beyond will have to keep dreaming a little longer.

A TTC staff report released Friday says that an additional $150 million is needed in order to complete the Toronto-York-Spadina subway extension by the end of 2017.

While the project is 70 per cent completed now, the TTC will miss its previous completion target of 2016 by at least a year, the report says.

“Regrettably we are declaring today that the earliest we can open is by the end of 2017,” TTC CEO Andy Byford told CP24 Friday. “There are other options. Some involve a later date. But our strong recommendation to the board … is that they adopt a plan that could see a 2017 end date achieved.”

Speaking with reporters at a news conference Friday, Byford said the overrun costs would be shared between Toronto and York Region.

“The amount Toronto would have to find would be $90 million,” Byford said. “The remaining $60 million would be attributable to our funding partner, York Region.”

The original budget for the project was $2.634 billion. That cost was shared between Toronto, York Region and the federal and provincial governments. However the municipalities are responsible for any cost overruns.

The report recommends that Toronto City Council find the extra money in the TTC’s 2014 operating budget surplus, property sales or the deferral of other projects.

Josh Colle, a Toronto city councillor and the chair of the TTC called the overruns "unacceptable."

"As I've said before, it is unacceptable that the Spadina subway extension is delayed and over budget," he said in an email to the media. The Commission will be reviewing and considering the options before us in order to get on with a plan to get this project completed.

"As chair, I am committed to taking decisive action and strengthening accountability at the TTC," his statement said. "I support the changes to leadership on TTC capital projects made yesterday by CEO Andy Byford. This year, we will also be auditing TTC capital projects. The status quo cannot continue with respect to this project or any of the TTC's major capital infrastructure projects."

Byford said there were a number of factors that had delayed the project. He said they included an 18-month delay at the start of the project that a never added on to the timeline; issues with utilities and contractors; two harsh winters; and the death of a worker during construction.

“We understand the frustration,” Byford said. “I’m as keen as anyone to get this project across the line. We tried our damndest to have it done by 2016 and for a myriad of reasons circumstances conspired against us.”

The TTC report also said the transit commission needs to hit ‘reset’ on the management of the project.

On Thursday, the TTC announced that two senior officials had been replaced on the project due to the overruns and delays. Byford said Friday that a third-party consultant would be brought in to help manage the remainder of the project.

The report will be publicly debated at a TTC board meeting March 26.

Video: http://www.cp24.com/news/spadina-subway-extension-delayed-until-at-least-winter-2017-1.2289632