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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

The times ain’t interchanging

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In the western corner of North York sits a peculiar intersection in one of the city's bleakest environments. In 1972, the old Metro Toronto Roads and Transportation department built an elaborate interchange where Weston Road, Walsh Avenue (which quickly becomes Wilson Avenue to the east), and Albion Road meet, allowing traffic on Weston to dive under the seamless junction of the other two roads. The area is hard to define — it isn't quite part of Weston, nor Downsview, nor Thistletown.

Each of these roads takes on a different character and direction at the interchange. Wilson, straight as an arrow, curves into Walsh for a block before suddenly changing into Albion. Albion itself takes off in a diagonal route, through Thistletown, Rexdale, and out to Bolton. To the south, Weston Road drifts southeast through Weston, Mount Dennis, and eventually the Junction. To the north, Weston transforms into a mostly residential arterial, straightening out as it moves into Vaughan.

The utilitarian and not so human