Eglinton and Allen intersection faces major redesign again
Years after reopening, the intersection is already under review due to persistent congestion. The city is considering a pedestrian bridge, cycle track, and a roundabout.
The intersection at Eglinton Avenue West and Allen Road just reopened in 2023 after a decade of disruption from the Crosstown LRT construction, but it's already being redesigned. The city released updated project materials last week outlining potential improvements to address constant gridlock.
Proposed changes include a pedestrian and cycling bridge, a Cedarvale Station tunnel, a south side cycle track, a diagonal crossing, an eastbound interchange, and a roundabout. The city notes that "current traffic demand exceeds the capacity of the intersection, particularly at the Allen Road on-ramp," especially during peak hours—spillover that affects neighbouring streets.
The intersection's history is tangled. Allen Road was meant to be part of the Spadina Expressway connecting north Toronto to downtown, but public pressure killed that plan in the early 1970s. Before 2014, it had a three-lane northbound on-ramp; the Crosstown construction then closed lanes from 2014 to 2024. When Metrolinx reopened the intersection in 2023, it featured alternating dual left-turn and right-turn lanes plus pedestrian crosswalks on the north and east sides.
Signal timing adjustments have helped slightly, but traffic still dominates. The recent opening of Cedarvale Station added another crossing option, though it's only open when the TTC is running.
The city hopes to evaluate design options by late 2026 to early 2027 and identify a preferred option by 2027. Residents have until June 14 to submit feedback on the study.