It was another one of "those days" again downtown Thursday, as
King St. West between Bay and Adelaide remains closed. The problem, which originated on
Tuesday, continues to centre on a falling brick - and the hazard that its mates may try to join it in a freefall to freedom. The potential danger of another 140-kilogram chunk of tile plunging off
First Canadian Place kept cops busy and drivers' nerves on edge all day. And it got worse when it came time to go home.
Thursday's rush hour was an unwelcome replay of the one 24 hours earlier, when it took as long as 30 minutes to get from one traffic light to the next. The big difference this time: Adelaide and Bay are both open. But that hasn't fixed the problem. Those trying to get around the obstruction clogged the alternate routes with even more traffic than usual, creating a new nightmare for those trying to leave. And the ongoing
TTC streetcar diversions along Queen, Spadina and Wellington added to the traffic tangle.
Officials don't have good news for those heading back to work on Friday. They expect the scenario will play itself out again. The question: will it be better or worse? With the
Victoria Day long weekend ahead, traffic solons hope some people will simply take the day off and stay away from the area. But rush hour traffic ahead of a holiday traditionally starts early and stays late.
The inspection of the 70-storey building, the largest office tower in Canada, continues and those charged with looking at each tile are trying to get it done as quickly as possible. But there are some 74,000 of them and testing each one is a study in frustration.