Building a new light rail transit system means more than charting a course around existing buildings and past electrical wires now powering neighborhoods.
For the Finch West LRT, it also means pruning away trees, while having a plan to keep communities green for generations. Which is where the arborist comes onto the scene.
The Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project continues to make great strides along with Finch Avenue West, as crews navigate the country’s most populated city. That means figuring out smart ways to navigate things that are already part of the landscape.
To accommodate construction of the new LRT, the roadway needs to be widened, meaning crews may need to remove street furniture or trees that impede construction areas.
There are many factors that contribute to tree removal along the project corridor. Trees and other vegetation are removed from land needed for the Finch West LRT tracks, stops and stations, related facilities, and construction staging areas along the project corridor.
Tree removal on the LRT project is done in tandem by Finch West LRT constructor, Mosaic
Transit Group, and a certified arborist who identifies what trees can be removed and works to create a tree preservation plan to protect, maintain and prune existing trees that may pose a safety risk.
Those safety considerations – for crews and the community – are vital. Tree removal has already taken place along the corridor in late September 2019 as part of phase one. Work was done with the community to ensure minimal trees removed from the south side of Finch Avenue West from the Black Creek to Tangiers Road.
During phase two this August, until the end of the year, crews will continue to remove the planned trees from the north side of Finch Avenue from Tangiers Road to the west of Signet Drive/Arrow Road.
But not all trees are lost. Upon completion of the project, Mosaic will work with the City of Toronto to restore all of the trees removed with new, high-quality trees to restore the streetscape.
Landscape design for the Finch West LRT project will incorporate new trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses. There will also be space for bike lanes and a new multi-use path.
What is now a construction landscape along Finch Avenue West will soon start to take shape, giving a new refresh to the LRT line. Balancing nature with a modern light rail transit system for Toronto will be key for local residents.
It was in February 2016 that Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and Metrolinx released a Request for Proposal (RFP) to companies shortlisted to design, build, finance and maintain the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) project. The RFP closed on December 13, 2017.
On May 7, 2018, the contract was awarded to the Mosaic Transit Group to design, build, finance and maintain the Finch West LRT. Major construction will begin in 2019 and the project will be completed in 2023.