TTC York Spadina Extension
by Mike Falkner
The TTC York-Spadina Extension is an 8.6-km stretch of tunnel, adding 6 new stations to the northern end of the system. The new stations include Downsview Park, Finch West, York University, Pioneer Village, Highway 407 and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The project utilized 4 massive Caterpillar Tunnel Boring Machines, named Holey, Moley, Yorkie and Torkie. Tunneling began in June 2011, continuing through to December 2013, when Torkie broke through the headwall at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station. The interior fixtures, trackwork and station-works construction continued through June 2016. The new line finally opened its doors for public operation on the 24th of May, 2017. The projects costs totalled almost 2.7 Billion CAD, with funding from Federal and Provincial governments as well as Toronto and York Region. The old TBM's were dismantled and put into open storage at the Keele Landfill site.
