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TORONTO – While recently-announced construction work on the Gardiner and Lakeshore are getting all the attention, another popular east-west route in Toronto continues to be reduced by half into a second year.

Long term revitalization work on the western half of Queens Quay is the one that started it all, and it’s only two years into a three-year plan.

“The work to date has focused on site services under the ground. More or less a rebuild of the infrastructure, and a rebuild of the TTC corridor,” says James Roche, Director of Parks, Design & Construction for Waterfront Toronto

Along the way, and while the road was opened, they’ve allowed various utilities and companies with infrastructure underground to get in and do any necessary upkeep.

When it’s all done in July/August 2015, the stretch from west of Bathurst to Bay will be filled with trees, new granite sidewalks and a streetcar right-of-way. The work will be done just in time for the Pan-Am Games.

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Artist rendering of the Queens Quay revitalization project.

Artist rendering of the Queens Quay revitalization project.

TTC streetcar service is expected to be restored by the end of this summer.

“This is a living system,” says Roche when asked why the work being done is taking so long.

“You have access to the buildings, driveways, emergency vehicles, you have deliveries. Trying to coordinate that and also maintain traffic down the middle of the road is a lot to put on the plate.”

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Waterfront Toronto says it’s been doing its best to keep the community informed through emails, public meetings and signage. Residents asked about the work Wednesday afternoon were mixed on just how well that information has been distributed.