Artist’s impression of Scarborough Golf Club Road overpass.

By Derek Pinder

Two railway crossings in our neighbourhood are to be eliminated by constructing road underpasses.  They are on Scarborough Golf Club Road and Morningside Avenue.  Metrolinx issued a Request for Proposals to pre-qualified contractors, through Infrastructure Ontario, in April.  Construction is expected to start in the summer of 2019 and to be completed in 2020.  This work is part of a $23 billion investment to provide an electrified train service, at 15-minute intervals, between Union Station and Oshawa.  In addition to an improved train service, Metrolinx anticipates that the grade separations will contribute to reduced traffic congestion, lower emissions of greenhouse gases and a reduction in fuel consumption.

Road construction inevitably involves traffic delays but Metrolinx believes that such delays will be minimal.  Scarborough Golf Club Road will be realigned to the east of the work zone and will remain at two lanes.  Morningside Avenue will be reduced to two lanes during construction but the TTC bus service will be unaffected.

There have been a few casualties along the way.  Twelve properties have been acquired to make room for the new underpasses: seven on Scarborough Golf Club Road, one on Dale, one on Dunelm and three on Galloway.

For the prestigious Scarborough Golf Club, the work is a mixed blessing.  They will lose some land, which includes the curling rink, but the proceeds from this land will allow the club to make some significant improvements.  The rather unsightly maintenance entrance will move to the north of the clubhouse while the clubhouse itself will have its original beautiful façade restored.