Work is underway on early upgrades to Finch Station on the Toronto Transit Commission’s Line 1 in order to prepare the station for the approximately eight-kilometre extension of the line north into Vaughan, Markham and Richmond Hill.

Metrolinx announced the news on February 27.

When it goes into service after the Ontario Line is complete, the extension will make it faster and easier for more people to travel between York Region and downtown Toronto while cutting down on traffic congestion and pollution.

“We’re excited to start the early upgrades at Finch Station and move the Yonge North Subway Extension into the construction stage,” says Metrolinx project sponsor Stephen Collins. “The upgrades at Finch Station will help keep the project running smoothly and bring us a step closer to expanding the region’s rapid transit network.”

The most noticeable work is happening along Hendon Avenue, near Yonge Street, for upgrades to the electrical infrastructure that will bring power to the new subway extension. This involves securing new heavy-duty power cables inside a protective casing and installing them underground.

New heavy-duty electrical cables will be installed from an existing traction power substation – a building where electricity is converted to a form suitable for providing power to the subway – on Hendon Avenue to Finch Station. The cables will be secured inside a protective casing and installed underground. A new fire department connection will also be installed near the intersection of Yonge Street and Hendon.

Minor renovations and upgrades will be made to the electrical rooms inside Finch Station to accommodate these additional power cables.

Changes to the existing tail track area, beyond the subway platform, will prepare it to become part of the main subway line. This involves extending the waterless sprinkler system from the existing service tracks through the tail tracks, along with new cables and other equipment that will link the future subway extension into existing communications and support systems.

The work is being performed by Black & McDonald, which was awarded the contract for the project in September.