• Ontario

Two years and over $100 million dollars, Leslie Street still a mess.

It’s been a tough year for businesses on Leslie Street between Queen Street East and Eastern Avenue. And it’s not over yet.

Looking south on Leslie

Already a year late and tens of millions over budget, the Leslie Barns streetcar house project will drag into July after the TTC's contractor improperly laid 60 metres of track on Leslie St. That's what we were told in May, but it's now Mid September and they are still plugging away at what Councillor Paula Fletcher describes as a "full-fledged mess".

Mosely has been a staging area for over 2 years.

Earlier this year surveyors discovered that they had laid the foundation for the track between Queen Street and Eastern 3 inches too high. As Pomerleau and the TTC pointed fingers at each other as to who was to blame, TTC CEO Andy Byford insists that the cost to dig this part of the track up and redo it will be borne by Pomerleau. While other fixes were considered, the only reliable solution, he said, is to tear up the tracks and re-do the supporting concrete tubs.

Mid September and still no relief in sight.

At the same time, in their infinite wisdom, the TTC began a project just east of this mess on Eastern Avenue, and have reduced it to one lane going west, forcing traffic up residential streets and affecting the whole area. One thing is for sure. Another project that wasn't done on time or on budget for the TTC.

Leslie from Queen to Eastern, finally opens August 8, 2015.

The barns project just south of Lakeshore will now now cost $500-million, up nearly 50% from the original price tag. The TTC will go cap in hand to the budget committee in December, seeking $60-million more for this job.

As the TTC reports a $90 million dollar defecit, they are now planning to introduce an increase in riders fares for 2016 to make up the shortfall. Starting to sound familiar Mr. Byford. Just a thought, for the people who are making six figure salaries and continue to screw up, how about they get fired like people in the real world.