The last time I visited Chesswood was back in September given the need to hold contractors such as Sanscon accountable with some of their projects being delivered considerably behind schedule. However, I was informed by city staff a few weeks back that more progress had been made. To get a sense of whether the November 2023 contract deadline would be met, I followed up yesterday’s site check on Finch with another one on Chesswood this afternoon after work.
This time, I took a multi-use path from Downsview Park station’s eastern entrance (see above photo) to get to Sheppard and Chesswood. While it is a handy connection, it would have been even more useful if the path were extended all the way to that intersection.
At Champagne Drive, the southbound cycle tracks have at least one coat of asphalt, but still needs another one to complete the project. The road is still one way from Champagne to Steeprock.
A construction vehicle was left abandoned in the unfinished cycle track.
The southbound cycle track appears finished just before Canada Clean Fuels which covers 800 metres of the 1.2 kilometres from Champagne to Sheppard.
However, the northbound cycle track still needs a lot of work north of Vanley Crescent. It is – however – completed south of Vanley.
Two-way traffic has reopened at Steeprock Drive which not only has bicycle signals, but also leading bicycle intervals (which I didn’t get to film). Part of this two-way traffic opening could be credited to Councillor James Pasternak’s motion IE7.10 which passed City Council on November 8, 2023.
For some added protection, fences can be seen just past Steeprock along with new bicycle lane markings.
Some more fences can be seen just before the cycle track ends at Sheppard Avenue.
Based on these observations, we can count at least the 600-metre stretch from Vanley to Sheppard as completed this year, as well as another 200 metres southbound only from Canada Clean Fuels to Vanley. The remaining 400-metre southbound cycle track just needs that final layer of asphalt before being deemed completed, but the jury is still out on whether the northbound cycle track from Vanley to Champagne can be finished before the year is done.
Overall, Sanscon appears to have done better keeping to the schedule for this project with some minor delays, but they and other contractors still need to be held accountable to ensure timely installations.
UPDATE 2023/12/07 - The City of Toronto's Cycling & Pedestrian Projects posted today that the Chesswood cycle tracks have been completed.
As part of road resurfacing in 2023, road safety improvements have been installed on Chesswood Dr between Sheppard Ave W and Champagne Dr. Changes include a new traffic signal at the Chesswood/Champagne intersection, new sidewalks, bike racks, and raised cycle tracks. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/skXiMZif1C
— Toronto Cycling and Pedestrian Projects (@TO_Cycling_Ped) December 7, 2023
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