Construction on Eglinton creating a nightmare for residents of nearby streets

Stop me if you've heard this one before but the construction of the Crosstown LRT along Eglinton is causing seemingly endless amounts of trouble.

An ongoing cause of concern comes from vehicles looking to avoid all the delays of Eglinton construction and causing a bit of chaos of their own.

Several neighbourhood streets including Forest Hill Road, Old Park Road and Glenarden Road have been flooded with cars, trucks, and other traffic looking to bypass the construction heading west on Eglinton past Bathurst where lanes are reduced and waits seemingly endless just to drive a few blocks.

I could be having a great day but the second I have to drive on Eglinton West, that great day is over 😭

— P (@paraaand) July 6, 2021

The chaos has led to more dangerous residential streets and an increase in noise that has upset a number of families.

It's not just the residential areas affected either. Several stores and other commercial properties have reported chaotic conditions due to the construction and bypassing conditions.

Crosslinx workers parking all day around the construction sites on commercial and residential streets, not leaving any space left for customers and an unbelievable amounts of noise and dust have made the area one to avoid for many people.

"Sidewalks near the stations are in a terrible state with many asphalt patches, tripping hazards and lack of accessibility," Lais Fabricio, The Eglinton Way BIA Manager told blogTO.

A lack of advanced notices for changes, closures, and upcoming projects means that many residents and business owners are often left guessing as well.

Residents of Eglinton West should be entitled to low rent or some type of subsidy. The construction on Eglinton W is so disruptive to the city traffic and to the neighbourhood in general. No joke, over a decade of “construction” with no end in sight. #toronto #eglintonwest

— fantasmainkk (@fantasmainkk) July 22, 2021

While Eglinton construction has become a certainty of Toronto as the opening date of the new LRT continues to be pushed back, the spilling of traffic to residential side streets is a problem that needs to be fixed and something that at least one person suggests calls for some sort of subsidy.