Crosslinx Transit by North American Constructors Journal

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions :

A Powerhouse P3 Partnership ACS-Dragados, AECON, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin join forces on Torontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit project Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino

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pon completion in 2021, the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit will forever transform the footprint of public transportation in Toronto. The $5.3bn Public-Private Partnership (P3) is the largest transit system expansion project in Canada. The massive undertaking, now approximately 30 percent complete, will add 19 kilometres of new light rail (10 kilometres underground) and will travel west to east through Toronto, adding 25 new stations and stops linking to 54 bus routes, three subway stations and various GO Transit lines. Bombardier will supply the trains for the new line. To execute a project of this scope and duration, the Crosslinx Transit Solutions consortium was formed, consisting of four equal partner global leaders in transportation infrastructure with more than 350 years combined expertise: ACS-Dragados, AECON, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin. Created specifically to design, build, finance and maintain this project, CTS will remain in existence for 36 years from project start through to contract completion. Long-time EllisDon executive John Bisanti is serving as Chief Executive Officer for the CTS endeavor. Bisanti has more than 30 years of experience working for public and private companies as well as large institutional entities and is the point of contact for

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions | 4 the clients, Metrolinx and Infrastructure Ontario. “All four companies are motivated by project success. Given the size of this project, one of the things we push is a ‘What is best’ for the project mindset. We want to use the best in class mindset and culture and that continues today when we hire people. We do what is best for the project,” explains Bisanti, adding that CST is made up of employees from each of the four partner companies as well as new hires under the overarching CST umbrella.

The Collaborators ACS-Dragados: Established in 1941, Dragados is the construction arm of ACS Group and one of the world’s

A group shot prior to t

Crosslinx Transit Solutions | 5 largest private-public partnership contractors, The company boasts an impressive list of infrastructure accomplishments.

with a portfolio that includes groundbreaking Canadian buildings, including SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) and the PwC Tower.

AECON: A Canadian leader in construction and infrastructure development. Aecon provides integrated services to private and public sector clients in the Infrastructure, Energy and Mining sector, as well project management, financing and development services. They take pride in sustainable building projects that connect communities, homes and people.

SNC-Lavalin: Established in 1911, SNCLavalin has become one of the world’s premier engineering and construction groups with specialties in oil and gas, mining and metallurgy, infrastructure and power.

the first concrete pour inside the Crosstown’s tunnels.

“Joint ventures are always challenging (and) regular communication is critical. There is going to be disruption so we need to manage that. We also need to build relations with the clients and key

“

All four companies are

motivated by the project’s success. And for us, success is defined by delivering the project safely, on time and on budget.

“

EllisDon: Established in 1951, EllisDon is the only private company involved in the project. The company prides itself as an innovator and pioneer

The partners are familiar with each other. ACS-Dragados, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin have worked together on the Confederation Line light rail project in Ottawa while AECON’s vast experience adds to the depth of the partnership.

- CEO John Bisanti www.crosslinxtransit.ca

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stake-holders and deliver the project on time,” says Bisanti. The Project The line will run between Mt. Dennis (Weston Road) and Kennedy Station, including the underground section from Black Creek Drive to Laird Drive. The line will be built to cross underneath the existing subway line at Eglinton West Station (Allen Road) and Eglinton Station (Yonge Street), and connect with another subway line at Kennedy Station. The final product is expected to ease congestion while delivering shorter commutes, reliable and convenient transport, and improved air quality. “This will be transformational for the

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city. The project crosses the entire economic spectrum of the city. There are some economically depressed areas and some wealthy areas. At Mt. Dennis there was a large concrete underpass and retaining wall and there will now be a giant glass box station and open pedestrian area. This project will spur development in areas because of the improved access to public transit,” Bisanti says. CTS will maintain the Eglinton Crosstown – including all stations, stops, maintenance facility and light rail vehicles – over a 30-year period and will finance the multi-billion dollar project. Utilization of the Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model will leverage private sector

Crosslinx Transit Solutions | 7

A view from the worksite on the Northeast Corner of Yonge and Eglinton.

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“

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This is a great industry, where

we are creating a transformational project that will leave a legacy in Toronto for decades to come – for the communities along the alignment and the people of

“

Toronto.

- President & Project Director, Bill Henry

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resources, expertise and efficiencies and transfers risk to the private sector as a way to protect the taxpayer. “We continue to work with all of the key stakeholders getting permits from the city. We have three interchange stations so we need to work closely with the municipal transit agency and we are working with all of the key utilities across the city. We continue to move forward on all of that as well as the lenders we are dealing with – they review and monitor construction progress monthly,” Bisanti notes. Operations On the operations side, Bill Henry serves as the President and Project

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Inside a mining drift at Laird Station.

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions |10 Director. He has more than 42 years of experience in the industry, and most recently led an international consortium in the Middle East in delivery of a metro system. His role at Crosslinx is to lead the delivery of the new Eglinton Crosstown LRT project. On a personal level, Henry loves the challenge. “I have been doing this for over 40 years. This is a great industry, where we are creating a transformational project that will leave a legacy in Toronto for decades to come – for the communities along the alignment and the people of Toronto,” he says. Job safety is the first priority, with best

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions | 11 practices from each company utilized. Workers are provided the skills and equipment to work safely and unsafe behavior and conditions are addressed immediately. “Our view on safety is always about getting better and improving. A ‘Safety First’ mentality needs to be reinforced daily with the staff, trades, and the subcontractors, especially since this project will be 85 percent outsourced to subcontractors. There is a heightened level of safety. We want our teams safe and our subs to be safe. There are daily safety talks and we start all meetings with a safety moment. We have weekly updates with our safety director and we drive

Otis is proud to support the Crosslinx Transit Solutions Project We are dedicated to moving Torontonians across this great city

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Mount Dennis Before-After

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions |12 safety through competition among the different groups,” Henry says. With such a heavy reliance on subs, extreme vetting existed every step of the way in order to determine subcontractors’ ability to meet the high standards put forth by CTS. “We work with the most qualified subcontractors in the community and have a thorough vetting process. The companies had to be qualified and financially sound with a history of similar work. We want the best in class and the best outcome for the project,” Henry explains. CTS is performing some of the work, and the bulk of the project

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is being performed by unionized subcontractors and key unions. CTS is also engaging with organizations including the Toronto Community Benefits Network, Toronto’s Construction Connections and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development on workforce development programs and to make sure that job opportunities are available to youth and others facing barriers to employment in the communities adjacent to the project. This is part of the Community Benefits Framework that project client Metrolinx has outlined. Metrolinx recognizes that its major infrastructure investments should provide benefits for the communities in which it works,

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EXT KENNEDY MainEntrance

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Crosslinx Transit Solutions |14 including employment, apprenticeship, and local supplier opportunities where possible. It has therefore committed to include a community benefits program for the Toronto Transit Projects beginning with the Eglinton Crosstown Light Rapid Transit line (LRT). “CTS is committed to meeting the Community Benefits goals of the project, the first of its kind for this type of project, and we’re working hard to hire from the communities in which we operate,” says Henry. Additionally, CTS is utilizing advanced technology such as BIM (3D modelling), to visualize and plan construction efficiently and effectively. “You have to harness and embrace the technology that is available,” Henry observes.

Driver poses for a photo in a compact concrete truck. The trucks’ cabs swivel 180 degrees, allowing them to be driven facing either direction.

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CTS borrowed a page from the mining industry to excavate three of the deep underground stations by using the sequential excavation method (SEM) first developed in Austria. The method relies partly on the strength of the surrounding geotechnical makeup to provide tunnel support.

Challenges A work force that is aging out of the construction industry places a premium on obtaining the proper number of workers needed for this project. “There is a lot of construction happening in Toronto and there is a lot of pressure on the trades. We are seeing the aging of the workforce and the impact on the unions and the

Crosslinx Transit Solutions | 15 Bill Henry

trades. There is a need to get more men and women into the industry to offset retirement, but you see that across the line,” Bisanti says.

John Bisanti