Construction starts at Lawrence and McCowan station to link subway, hospital and jobs

What happened

• Major construction (piling and excavation) has started at the Lawrence and McCowan station site in Scarborough.

Who this affects

• Commuters near Lawrence Avenue and McCowan Road, patients and staff using Scarborough General Hospital, and people who work in the nearby area.

By the numbers (from the release)

• The Scarborough Subway Extension will add 7.8 kilometres to Line 2.
• The Lawrence and McCowan station is expected to accommodate more than 5,000 riders and support over 4,000 transfers during rush hour.
• The full extension is estimated to handle about 105,000 daily trips and put 38,000 more people and 34,000 jobs within a 10-minute walk of three new stations.
• Construction is expected to keep about 3,000 workers employed each year during the build.
• A planned transit-oriented community at Lawrence and McCowan would include nearly 740 new homes and support over 240 jobs.

Why it matters

• The station aims to shorten commutes, improve transit connections (including express buses), and give faster access to health care and local employment.

Next steps

• Continued construction on the Scarborough Subway Extension as part of a broader subway expansion program described in the release.