Eglinton Avenue exists at the centre of the City of Toronto and binds together a series of diverse neighbourhoods. The proposed Eglinton Crosstown LRT will fundamentally change the balance of transportation along Eglinton, spur development along its length, and create a series of new place-making opportunities.

SvN co-led the project with Brook McIlroy and developed the Built Form Zoning Recommendations and Guidelines as well as the Streetscape Design for 19 km of the 26 km LRT corridor, from Jane Street to Kennedy Road. In parallel with this process, the firm supported the City of Toronto in a review of the preliminary designs for the LRT stations and station areas, in preparation for Metrolinx’s issuance of the RFP document to consortiums to deliver the Eglinton Crosstown line.

The Built Form Guidelines are built upon the City’s Avenues and Mid-Rise Performance Standards as a starting point and then tested a series of “Focus Areas” where more intense development was appropriate, due to the intersection of transit infrastructure and larger sites for redevelopment and intensification. The final recommendations have been codified in a new comprehensive set of site specific zoning by-laws for Eglinton Avenue that will guide both private and public investment along the new LRT corridor.

The Streetscape Design will accommodate all users - pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists - in new, complete streets. Specific, context sensitive designs were developed for both the below-grade and surface segments of the LRT. The proposed designs include strategies for consistent, healthy, urban trees; broader sidewalks; safe cycling routes; public art; heritage buildings; integrated parking; consolidated over-head utilities; and a series of new public plazas at all station locations. The work was developed through an integrated EA process that advances the urban and engineering designs through an iterative, multi-disciplinary process.