Major Toronto intersection to be shut down for over a month of construction

It can be tough to keep track of all of the construction projects and ensuing road closures in and around Toronto — especially in the midst of this year's capital work boom — and the upcoming shutdown of one major corner may be another that takes drivers, cyclists, and especially transitgoers by surprise.

While the King-Church juncture only just reopened this long weekend after being blocked off for three months for streetcar track and water main replacements, further along the east-west artery, another similar closure is on the way.

Later this month, the TTC will kick off more track work at the corner of King and Dufferin streets, necessitating a complete blockade of all through traffic, including streetcars.

According to the commission, the following transit routes will be diverted as stated for the duration of the project:

• 503 Kingston Rd – 503 Kingston Rd. bus replacement will operate between King Street West at Joe Shuster Way, and Kingston Road at Victoria Park Avenue.
• 504 King and 508 Lake Shore – 504A King and 508 Lake Shore streetcars will divert via Queen Street West between Shaw Street and Roncesvalles Avenue. 504B King streetcars will be shortened to Bathurst Street.
• 29 Dufferin – 29 Dufferin buses will divert to King Street West at Joe Shuster Way via Queen Street West and Shaw Street.
• 929 Dufferin Express – 929 Dufferin Express buses will be shortened to Queen Street West.
• The 402 Parkdale Community bus will continue to provide limited service within Parkdale while operating on regular routing.

A map of the TTC route diversions during construction.

There is expected to be increased congestion on surrounding streets as a result, including along Queen St. W. and Shaw Street. Parking and turning will also be more restricted to keep things flowing as smoothly as possible.

The project timeline is not yet set in stone, but it is slated to last approximately six weeks, from mid-September to late October 2025, with the TTC stating it will start "as soon as" September 15. Work will take place around the clock.

While the older rail is swapped out for shiny new tracks, the City will also revamp the area's sidewalks, much like how we took advantage of the similar closure of King and Church to renew aging underground pipes.

King West has been the site of rolling closures over the last few years to upgrade infrastructure elsewhere along the thoroughfare, including at Shaw Street last year, which created its fair share of traffic chaos.