How much track needs to be laid for a new light rail transit (LRT) line? The answer is not as straightforward as it might seem.

The Finch West LRT will run along Finch Avenue West in Toronto from Keele Street to Highway 27. The portion along which customers will ride, referred to as the “mainline”, comprises 10.3 kilometres.

The most obvious guess of total track length would therefore be 20.6 kilometres, accounting for the twin tracks that will line the route.

However, beyond just two parallel tracks, there are additional pieces of trackwork that add significantly to this total.