The Toronto Port Authority has announced that early next year it will break ground on a pedestrian tunnel that links the end of Bathurst Street with Billy Bishop Toronto City Centre Airport. In total, the project is projected to cost $45 million.
Only five years ago, 25,000 people used the airport. Last year, 770,000 people used the airport and an estimated 1.2 million people will make their way to the Billy Bishop Airport this year. The majority of the costs will also be covered by a $20 fee tacked onto every fare paid at the airport.
The tunnel only goes to the airport, and will not provide access to island attractions like residences or beaches much like the existing ferry.
It’s estimated that it will take about two years to complete the tunnel, running about 400 feet across Lake Ontario, underneath its shale bed.
The new tunnel will increase the number of takeoffs and landings at the airport. A public-private partnership will prevent an additional $19 millon improvement fee on the airport.
An assessment on the effects of the tunnel on local surroundings and the operation of the airport is expected to be released in August. The amount the tunnel eventually costs may increase depending on the assessment.
