New underpass has been installed at Hurontario and QEW

Metrolinx pushbox under Queen Elizabeth Way

Metrolinx

After 55 hours of around the clock work, the Hazel McCallion Line has reached a new milestone.

The progress continues in south Mississauga on the new Hazel McCallion Line (also known as the Hurontario LRT).

A new underpass was installed at Hurontario Street and the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW).

The process involved using hydraulic jacks to push a large concrete structure, or “push box,” weighing more than 6,000 tonnes into place.

What is a push box?

The QEW push box will be a permanent underpass for northbound Hurontario traffic, allowing space for the Hazel McCallion Line tracks through the existing underpass along with the southbound Hurontario traffic.

Using innovative methods

Box-jacking is a unique technique, and this project is the first time it’s been used in Ontario. 

By building the new passageway under an active highway, crews were able to keep traffic moving by diverting traffic to two lanes in each direction onto the off and on ramps at Hurontario before returning to the highway. This method significantly reduced the impact to QEW traffic.

During the push, time-lapse cameras were used to capture real-time updates.

Scale of the push box

The width of the box accommodates three lanes of traffic (including a left turn lane) and a multi-use path for pedestrians and cyclists.

Additionally, the roof of the box now fully supports seven lanes of highway traffic on the QEW, including road shoulders.

Community benefits for the long-term

The push was combined with other work to rehabilitate the existing QEW structure, in addition to the installation of a new storm sewer.