The City of Toronto and Government of Canada announced a partnership to fund the extension of the popular West Toronto Railpath multi-use trail that will connect Torontoโ€™s residents and visitors with new areas of the city.

Under the funding agreement announced by Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Davenport) and Julie Dzerowicz, Member of Parliament for Davenport, the Government of Canada will provide $23 million from its Active Transportation Fund (https://housing-infrastru...), while the City will contribute $125.7 million.

The project will see the existing 2.1-kilometre trail doubled in length, with an additional two kilometres of trail extending south from Dundas Street West at Sterling Road to Abell Street at Sudbury Street, as well as the construction of four new pedestrian-cycle bridges. Construction will begin in mid-2025.

The extension is part of the Cityโ€™s Major City-wide Cycling Routes under the Cycling Network Plan and will encourage sustainable transportation options by making it easier for commuters to connect to the Bloor GO Station and the upcoming King-Liberty Station.

Additional information including design images is available on the Cityโ€™s West Toronto Railpath Extension webpage: https://www.toronto.ca/se.../.

Quick facts:

โ€ข The West Toronto Railpath follows the trade route that Indigenous peoples would take from the Davenport Trail to the receding Lake Iroquois, following Roncesvalles Avenue. This route was later used as the path of a railway that started in 1871.
โ€ข The first phase of the West Toronto Railpath from Cariboo Avenue to the Dundas Street West Overpass was completed in 2008.
โ€ข Realignment of the existing Railpath between Wallace Avenue and Bloor Street West began in August 2022.
โ€ข Metrolinx will build the West Toronto Railpath Extension on behalf of the City.

โ€œExpanding the West Toronto Railpath will connect even more communities and make it easier for people to enjoy our city by walking, cycling or taking transit. Partnership between all levels of government made this possible. Working together, we can connect communities, provide more active transportation options and create new opportunities for sustainable travel. Thank you to Councillor Alejandra Bravo, our federal partners and the residents of Davenport for their advocacy on this project.โ€
โ€“ Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto

SOURCE: City of Toronto

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