Eglinton Crosstown West Extension will bring even more rapid transit to Etobicoke and Mississauga

Eglinton Crosstown LRT and West Extension are expected to take an estimated 6.5 million car trips off the road each year and save up to 5,800 tons per year.

TORONTO, CANADA, October 8, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The extension of the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) will run 9.2 kilometres from Mount Dennis Station to Renforth Drive, operating mainly underground. With seven new stations, the extension will connect five other transit services. This extension is expected to take an estimated 6.5 million car trips off the road each year, which not only greatly relieves congestion on the road network, but also results in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions – up to 5,800 tonnes per year

The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is one of the priority transit projects currently underway in Toronto, and it will bring 37,500 more people and 23,600 more jobs within walking distance to transit. Tunnelling for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, for which two TBMs were used, began in April 2022. Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, has been involved in the project on behalf of its client, WestEnd Connectors, carrying out the removal of the TBMs once the excavation was finished. WEC is a partnership between Aecon Group Inc., Ghella Canada Ltd., and Dragados Canada Inc.

Sarens had previously collaborated as a crane provider for the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. In the next stage, to carry out the removal of the TBMs, the Sarens engineering team had to conduct a detailed preliminary study of the conditions of the operation, taking into account in particular the timing of the operation, ground bearing pressures and coordination with transport providers.

After studying the needs of the operation, the Liebherr LR 1600/sm was selected as the main crane, which has 98ft and 5 inches of Main Boom, its Main Cwt is 150Te and Central Ballast is 65Te. This equipment was selected due to it not needing a tray or superlift. The crane was erected, and the hook prepared in record time during the weekend prior to the start of the operation. A total of 14 transports were required.

The elements to be removed were the components of the TBMs that were being dismantled. The largest pieces weighed more than 72 tonnes and were 22 metres high. They were also located 18.3 metres below ground level. The most relevant factors were the timeframe, as some loads required transport permits and had to be ready by a specific time, as well as the ground bearing pressures, as the crane is sitting on the newly constructed underground rail tunnels.

The crane was on site for six weeks during which the main challenge was the limited space they had to operate and the coordination with the transportation services. Sarens provided three crew members for the hoists.

Sarens has been a key player in the Canadian construction industry for years, thanks to the wide experience of its team, its in-depth knowledge of the sector and its extensive portfolio of cranes and modular transports. The company has been able to work on the renovation of Union Station, where its engineering team worked on the lifting and subsequent installation of several iron girders, weighing approximately 9.4 tonnes, for the flying garden that connects the station's north and south towers.

Sarens LeanFactor Team
LeanFactor Global Communication
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