Watch: Record concrete pour for Finch West LRT project

Worker smoothing fresh concrete just after it’s been poured.

Metrolinx

As progress goes, it was a concrete effort by teams working on the new Toronto light rail transit line. We have new video of the mammoth effort to put down enough concrete to have 118 cement trucks working in rotation. Here’s what that added up to.

This was a bit bigger than the concrete mix you needed for those backyard fence posts.

This was a king of pours.

Recently, crews working on the Finch West light rail transit (LRT) route completed a record 1,040 m3 cement pour at the project’s Keele and Finch Station.

The mega-process took approximately 15 hours, with 118 cement trucks alternating pours on a rotating basis in October.

It was captured in images and a video.

The team had two functioning cement pumps operating for the pour, with another in reserve.

In total, the operation included 60 people on the ground, including 10 flag people and two paid duty officers, per shift, ensuring motorists and pedestrians were safe during the process.

“This milestone was successful because of great teamwork and diligent planning,” said Juan Andres Varela, general superintendent of Mosaic, Finch West LRT constructor.  

“The team did the job quickly, but I am most proud of how they worked so well together and were always doing their best to keep each other safe throughout the process.”

Want more background on the Finch West LRT project? Just go here.

The pour was concentrated on Finch Station’s main entrance and concourse slab. While the team celebrated its achievement, they were quick to get back to work with the next steps, including formwork and rebar installation, removal of temporary support beams, waterproofing and the installation of perimeter walls.

Check out more of the progress being made along Finch Avenue West during the project’s virtual open house, launching November 15 on Metrolinx Engage.

DID YOU KNOW? With 18 stops across 11 kilometres of rail, the Finch West Light Rail Transit (LRT) line will run along Finch Avenue West from Keele Street to Highway 27, where it will turn, then travel south to the Humber College north campus. It will connect with Toronto as well as Peel and York Regions local transit.

Read more articles about passenger rail.