'Missing link' tunnel will soon connect 2 Toronto transit stations

After almost a decade of anticipation, construction is well underway on a long-promised pedestrian tunnel that will connect two of Toronto's key transit hubs, namely Bloor GO/UP Express Station and Dundas West subway station. 

Metrolinx started building the 270-metre-long pedestrian tunnel last year as part of the larger Kitchener Fourth Track and Go Expansion projects, which are aimed at transforming regional transit across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The new tunnel is set to provide a direct connection between Bloor GO Station (a stop on the Kitchener rail corridor served by UP Express and regional GO trains) and Dundas West Station on the TTC's Line 2, which also connects to streetcars and bus routes. 

Currently, you have to make the frustrating above-ground transfer between the two stations. Although the walk is only a few hundred metres, it can take up to eight minutes or longer in bad weather or with luggage, which is especially inconvenient for those arriving via the UP Express from Pearson Airport. 

Photo: Metrolinx.

The project was first approved in the mid-1990s, but has remained an unbuilt missing link in the transit network for decades.

However, a solution is just around the corner.

Newly released documents from Metrolinx provide an inside look at what the tunnel and upcoming Bloor GO pavilion currently look like over a year into construction. The passageway is designed to streamline transfers, with enclosed indoor access and signage.

The tunnel project is part of the Kitchener Fourth Track initiative, itself a segment of the larger GO Expansion program. The expansion aims to deliver all-day, two-way GO train service across Toronto, Brampton, and Kitchener. 

Construction of the broader project has already included the installation of a noise wall north of Bloor Street. Track installation and placement of support brackets to ensure the new tracks meet height and distance requirements, and electrical and interior tunnel work are now in progress. 

The Bloor GO pavilion. Photo: Metrolinx.

Next steps include tunnel and pavilion painting, the installation of the roof deck and waterproofing, as well as cladding installation and elevator work.

The improvements are part of a broader effort to increase train frequency, improve station accessibility, and expand capacity at Union Station and across the GO network. Once finished, the new tunnel will provide a faster and fully indoor transfer between two of the city's busiest transit services.