Contrary to the much-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT, Metrolinx has been pretty on the ball with other transit lines on deck for Toronto, reaching multiple construction milestones in recent weeks, including another on Wednesday.

The transit agency and Infrastructure Ontario announced that crews have now been selected to design and build the Pape tunnel and underground stations on the forthcoming Ontario Line subway, which will ambitiously connect the city with 15 stops between Exhibition and Don Mills and Eglinton.

The portion of the route around Pape and Cosburn stations is now in the development phase as of the signing of a contract this week, with consortium Pape North Connect on board for the next stage of the work.

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The group will work with Metrolinx to finalize the details of the tunnel and stations over the next 24 months or so, during which shovels will finally get into the ground.

As Infrastructure Ontario notes in a news release, "the scope of work includes 3 km of twin tunnels under Pape Avenue from the Gerrard portal to the Don Valley bridge; two tunnel portals at Gerrard Avenue and Minton Place; one underground station at Pape Avenue and Danforth Avenue and another at Cosburn Avenue and Pape Avenue."

It will also entail the erection of three service buildings, ​new underpinning of the existing TTC Pape Station, and a rail switch in the tunnel near Sammon Avenue, all of which will be handled by the various contracting companies that are part of Pape North Connect.

Agreement signed with Pape North Connect for Ontario Line Pape Tunnel and Underground stations https://t.co/aTECATIipm @Metrolinx #ontarioline pic.twitter.com/86UMVVcv8e

— Infrastructure Ontario (@InfraOntario) January 17, 2024

In the last few months, Metrolinx has also made significant progress on stations on the new Finch West LRT line, and has awarded a contract to build the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension.

LRT vehicles are also already being tested on the former of the two lines, which is a good sign that the new infrastructure may indeed open as promised this year.

If we're lucky, we may also finally get to ride the Eglinton Crosstown LRT by later this year, too, though residents should know better by now than to hold their breath on that one.