Toronto’s Eglinton LRT Opens After 15 Years, Alongside Pedestrian Streets in Mantua and Queens

Toronto's Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown LRT, a 19-kilometre light rail transit route connecting Kennedy and Mount Dennis with 25 stations, opened in February 2025 after nearly 15 years of construction marked by delays and controversy. The line, designed by a consortium including Arcadis, NORR, DIALOG, and Daoust Lestage Lizotte Stecker, features four station typologies unified by glass boxes with ribbed white metal frames, orange entrance canopies, and landscaped plazas. Underground stations, influenced by late architect Richard Stevens, prioritize natural light, clear sightlines, and intuitive wayfinding. Public art by Louise Witthöft and Rodney LaTourelle, along with station-specific murals serving as acoustic panels, are integrated throughout. The project faced challenges including a track misalignment in 2021 and deteriorated concrete at Eglinton Station. Despite criticism over speed and cost overruns (one billion dollars), the design team emphasized quality and user experience. Separately, two pedestrianization projects are highlighted: via Amadei in Mantua, Italy, transformed by STUDIOSPAZIO and Openfabric into a landscaped 'garden street' with chicanes and greenery; and Paseo Park in Jackson Heights, Queens, evolving from pandemic-era street closures into a permanent linear park envisioned with WXY architecture firm.