Pylons are a necessity for construction projects, but aren’t much better than street trash when they litter curb and sidewalk months after the job is done.

Readers of this column know that I loathe pylons, particularly when they’re plunked down in a sunken sewer grate, utility cut or a hole in the sidewalk for months or even longer.

Too often, they’re used to buy time until the right thing is done. But they’ve somehow morphed into a quick-fix that allows contractors and even the city to abdicate from properly addressing a problem.

So it’s no surprise when a reader complains about pylons that should have been picked up months ago but continue to get in the way of pedestrians and drivers.

After a column earlier this month about pylons and other construction debris left behind on Spinney Court after a water main project wrapped up, other readers weighed in about similar situations.

Among them was a note from Stephen Mallory, who urged us to “take a drive down Barrington Avenue in East York,” if we’re looking for pylons without a useful purpose.

On Barrington, Mallory said “you will find an entire street that has had sidewalks replaced months ago, with all the giant ugly pylons remaining.

“The construction notice from the city said the road and sidewalk project was to be completed by early July of this year,” which was approximately on schedule, he said, adding that “its equipment still remains, months later.”

I went there and found dozens of large, orange-and-black traffic barrels along the curb, from just north of Danforth Avenue all the way to Lumsden Avenue, where sidewalk and curb work was still happening last Friday.

But the job appears to be done along the rest of the street, which means the contractor could do the neighbourhood a favour by getting rid of the pylons.

STATUS: Eric Holmes, a spokesperson for transportation services, emailed to say “staff will make contact with the contractor for an update on their work in the area to determine whether there’s further need for the pylons.”

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