A partial closure of the busy Allen expressway, previously rejected as too disruptive to motorists, is back on the table at Metrolinx and the city.

If it goes ahead, the northbound lanes of Allen Rd. between Eglinton and Lawrence Aves. could be closed for nearly two years to accommodate launch and extraction shafts for the giant tunnel boring machines near the Eglinton West subway station.

The construction, which is already reducing traffic lanes in both directions, and limiting turns onto the Allen, is also frustrating local traffic and pedestrians, who have lost one crossing signal.

Closing the Allen would allow more room for construction staging. But it would also mean that 150 trucks a day hauling soil away from the tunnel site could avoid driving on Eglinton and the southbound Allen, said Metrolinx spokesman Jamie Robinson.

Work began early this year on the shafts for the boring machines that will be pulled out of the ground on the west side of the Eglinton West station and relaunched on the east where they will continue driving toward Yonge St.

“The reality is this is long-term. . . . This work is underway now until summer 2016,” said Robinson.

Although construction of the station will continue to affect traffic until the LRT opens in 2020, it won’t require the Allen’s closure.

Councillor Joe Mihevc said construction is already making life difficult for people who live and work along Eglinton.

“I am very supportive of this project as are people in our community. We would look at this request from Metrolinx very seriously. We want to see (the Eglinton Crosstown LRT) done as quickly as possible,” he said.

Robinson said turn adjustments, portable signs and other communications encouraging motorists to avoid using Eglinton as a throughway, have already reduced traffic. Metrolinx is suggesting drivers use north-south alternatives to Allen such as Bathurst St. and Avenue Rd.

Councillor Josh Matlow said he won’t support an Allen closure until he sees evidence that it’s the only option. “I accept facts but Metrolinx has not demonstrated to me the need for closing the Allen yet. I am open to actively listening to them but until they do that it’s not something I support,” he said.

The city is also awaiting traffic data, said Martin Maguire, manager of transit projects for transportation services.

When the issue of closing the Allen arose about two years ago, the mayor’s office asked Metrolinx to look at other options.

The agency came up with alternatives and a report that was being prepared for the works committee never moved forward, said Maguire.

“It’s come up again and . . . we need to understand the area traffic impacts if this was to go ahead . . . as well as some description of the benefits that an Allen closure would have to their project in terms of schedule and costs,” said Maguire “The closure might allow them to accelerate the tunnelling activities but it’s not absolutely required in order to complete the project.”

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Metrolinx, which is consulting the community on the issue, hopes to see a report on the Allen closure’s impact go to the city’s public works committee in June and on to council in July.

If that doesn’t happen, it won’t get looked at until 2015, after this year’s municipal election, Maguire said.

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