Vibrations from Eglinton Crosstown construction damaging their homes, area residents fear

Byron Martin's house is now filled with Post-itnotes all over his walls, but they aren't reminders aimed at keeping his latest film project coming together.

Instead,they represent his house falling apart marking a new set of cracks he says are due to recent constructionrelated to the Eglinton Crosstownproject. Martin says it's had the most impact on his houseof anywork on the LRTline in the last few years.

"It's just unimaginable to have to deal with the sheer shaking and vibration for eight hours a day," the film producersaid.

Martin, who is recovering from a significant operation a few weeks ago, says he was jolted out of bed at 7 a.m. earlier this month by loud machinery just metres behind his bedroom, sending vibrations throughhis entirehome on Chaplin Crescent near Eglinton Avenue West

He says one thought has occurred to him while lying in bed at night: "Is my whole wall going tofall off?"

Workers for CrosslinxTransit Solutions, the consortium Metrolinxhired to build the Eglinton Crosstown, were busy drillinga concrete slab that previously secured a crane. But what waseven more alarming was the significant damage and separation he says hebegan to seeon the walls of his house throughout the week.

Susan Sperling, a spokesperson forCrosslinx, says the consortiumconducted tests in response toconcerns from residents of a handful of Chaplin Crescent homes and "results repeatedly verified that noise and vibration levels were within the allowable limits."

But that doesn't satisfy Martin and his neighbours. They're nowcalling on Metrolinx and the province to pay for a third-party engineer to look at the integrity of their houses and compensate themfor any repairs they need.

Councillors call for public inquiry

Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's, says thehomeowners' demands are "reasonable."

"I don't think it's fair that individual residents, along with small businesses, are out in some cases thousands and thousands of dollars, if not their entire livelihoods, without any reasonable compensation," he said.

But Martin and his neighbours saythe provincial government,MetrolinxandCrosslinx Transit Solutions have not had meaningful discussions with them.

Crosslinx doesn't agree.

"Crosslinx and Metrolinx are committed to working with residents to ensure that we minimize and mitigate the impacts of construction," Sperling said.

She says Crosslinxprovided informationandworked withresidents to assure them about sound and vibration levels andofferedhotels during periods of heavy noise an offerMartin says the consortium never made to him.

Matlow is calling for an inquiry into the project through a motion he and Coun.Mike Colle are bringing before city council this week. The inquiry would investigate the delays and rising coststhat have plagued the projectsince it broke ground in 2011. But Matlow says it couldalsohold the agenciesinvolved to account and get area businesses and residents the compensation they deserve.

"A transit plan that treats residents and businesses like collateral damage is not a good plan," said Matlow.

"What these residents need is somebody to actually say,'I hear you, I will do something about it. I will compensate you. I will support you,' and that's not being done."

Accountability from Metrolinx, province

When asked by CBC Toronto about these issues, a spokesperson for Ontario Transportation MinisterCaroline Mulroneydid not address the questions posed, but blamed the provincial Liberals for construction taking longer than hoped andfrustrating residents.

Metrolinxreferredquestions from CBC News toCrosslinx.

"Crosslinx will arrange for a post-construction survey of their properties to determine the cause and extent of any claimed damages" and claims will go through a formal process, Sperling said.

But Martin says he fears representatives chosen by Crosslinxto evaluate the damage may notbe impartial or share all the data with residents.

Martin's neighbour, Michael Lampel, says the lack of accountability from any of the players involved is "unacceptable".

"The stress level for the last seven years, eight years have been off the chart," he said.

He says nobody involved in the project has at any point offered the residentsany assurance their homes were safe, despite visible signs of cracks appearing throughout the process.

Over the last seven years of construction "it was a constant running thing," said Lampel.

"Every time there's a crack, go fix it again," but he says the concerns run deeper this time around.

JamilMardukhi, a structural engineer with NCK Engineering, which is not affiliated with the project, says while he would need to look at the houses and drilling involved, vibrations from construction can cause damage to structures close to the source.

"In a Toronto standard house with a basement, high level vibrations in a ground that can transmit vibration can cause settlement of foundations and cracking of walls and wall and floor finishes," said Mardukhi.

Lampel says he is concerned homeowners won't see the full extentof the damage doneuntil the spring when they'll see if the earth under their homes has shifted.

He says the fear that the damage might turn out to be even worse is what's prompting him and his neighbours to demand a report from an independent engineer.