TORONTO, ON

Union Station Enhancement Project (USEP)

Union Station is the busiest transportation facility in Canada, serving over 250,000 passengers daily and 65 million passengers annually.

TRANSPORTATION

Union Station is the busiest transportation facility in Canada, serving over 250,000 passengers daily and 65 million passengers annually.

The project involved restoring the existing historic trainshed, Head House, and the Bay Street Bridge architectural metal façade, re-constructing existing platforms, and converting the heritage freight elevators into stairs and vent shafts.

Entuitive also provided pedestrian and evacuation modelling for the station. This included microstudies during design that tested the performance of various options to inform decision making, as well as modelling of the overall station to demonstrate how all systems perform together. This integrated process ensured the user experience was considered in all decisions and life safety was not compromised. Areas of the station were also modelled for their construction sequencing to ensure Level of Service and life safety were not compromised while allowing constructors to target aggressive schedules.

Entuitive also served as the Metrolinx P3 Technical Advisor during the procurement process and during final design and construction. As Prime Consultant, Entuitive assisted Metrolinx in all legal and technical discussions and negotiations with various federal, provincial, and municipal agencies, coordinating work with local utility providers, and integrating work with upcoming City of Toronto and TTC projects.

Entuitive was retained by Metrolinx as the Prime Consultant. Managing a team of 16 subconsultants, Entuitive performed design and contract administration services for the Enabling Works design-bid-build contract, and developed the Reference Concept Designs and Output Specifications for procuring the major work under two Public-Private Partnership (P3) arrangements.

The expansion included the construction of new platforms and a below-grade concourse south of the existing trainshed, roof canopies over the new platforms, and new vertical access elements to the concourses, all requiring careful assessment of heritage impact and coordination of all proposed interventions with Parks Canada.

Construction took place while the station was fully functional, necessitating careful consideration of staging, safety requirements, and minimizing the impact to customers and operations.