It’s a big year for transit in Peel Region as progress continues on the Hurontario light rail transit (HuLRT) line.

The new 18-kilometre line will bring clean rapid transit to Mississauga and Brampton.

If you don’t live near Hurontario Street, you may not realize construction on the HuLRT is already well underway. 2021 was a big year for the project, and 2022 is going to be even more significant.

Let’s go over some of the major highlights from last year and what’s in store for 2022.

Port Credit Station

As the only underground stop on HuLRT line, Port Credit Station had its fair share of work in 2021.

HuLRT constructor Mobilinx began major excavation on the eastern end of the Port Credit GO Station parking lot to prep for construction of the tunnel under the GO rail tracks and the station itself.

In total, the team removed 36,000 cubic metres of earth from Port Credit – more than 14 Olympic swimming pools of dirt.

Crews also started work on the Port Credit push box – the elaborate tunneling system required to tunnel under the existing GO tracks with minimal disruption to rail service.

After digging the hole, pouring concrete slabs, constructing a thrust block, the next step is to push the system through and lay the tracks. The actual push will occur in early 2022.

Once the box is in place, construction of the station is set to begin.

Want to learn more about the Hurontario LRT project? Click here.

Mary Fix Creek

Earlier in 2021, work was done to protect the 100-year-old Mary Fix Creek.

The creek plays an important role in Mississauga’s water infrastructure and provide the habitats necessary for local plant and animal life.

Mobilinx will be upgrading the landscape to preserve the creek and nearby communities.

Coming up in 2022, the channel in that area will be replaced with an engineered structure that is wider and taller, to reduce the potential for flooding.

The existing bridges at the Port Credit GO Station are also being replaced to accommodate the widening of the creek.          

Operations Maintenance Storage Facility

Work at the HuLRT Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility (OMSF) is close to completion.

The OMSF will be the hub of the new transit line. Inside the building, there will be a repair shop, vehicle cleaning facility, material storage, and capacity for 42 Alstom light rail vehicles.  

Preparation is underway for the installation of the LRT tracks in the yard later this year.

Utilities upgrades

Over the past year, crews have installed approximately 7.5 kms of new watermain, sanitary and stormwater sewers along Hurontario Street.

These upgrades are being done in preparation to support the new LRT and to ensure residents experience minimal service disruptions to their utilities.

What to look forward to in 2022

In 2022, crews will begin working on a second push box located at Hurontario Street and the QEW. 

This work will create a new northbound underpass to enable LRVs to travel under the QEW highway once the line is operational.

Construction of the Highway 403 flyover is also set to begin.

This involves building a bridge or overpass that crosses over another road. This will help improve traffic flow by separating the LRT from regular vehicular and bus traffic on one of the busiest interchanges in Mississauga.

It will also provide transit riders the ability to access bus connections on Rathburn Road.

Crews will also begin laying the first set of tracks for the HuLRT line in Mississauga North in early 2022.

Want to get the last information on this project? Follow along on all the Hurontario LRT project progress and 2022 milestones on Twitter here.