Transit Toronto

Special events affect transit services in Brampton, Hamilton, the Malvern area of Toronto, Milton, the central areas of Toronto and the Unionville area of Markham this weekend — Thursday, July 16, Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19.

Our latest new videos on the main YouTube Channel take us to Japan, and the city of Stratford, Ontario. Richard YS returns with the first film the team shot this year, as he rode the UWAKAI Limited Express between Matsuyama to Uwajima on New Year’s Day. Check out this ride along video as the train speeds through river gorges, past mountain ranges, over wide farmland and endless groves of citrus fruits.

Our second video is a news piece covering the return of the GO Train to Stratford. Metrolinx announced the 7 day service back in April and, early on Monday, July 6, Transit Toronto editor James Bow came out to capture the festivities and ride the first train of the service into Toronto and back. There was a lot of enthusiasm at the opening and, fingers crossed, this service will take hold and expand, but James notes that a number of things need to happen to ensure the extension’s success.

The residents of South Oshawa probably feel that their area is increasingly inaccessible to the rest of the Oshawa due to several major construction projects that block roadways, including on:

• Farewell Street;
• Wilson Road South; and
• Simcoe Street South.

Well, here’s another project that’s likely going to contribute to South Oshawans’ sense of isolation. Starting Monday, July 13, access to the south end of the city becomes even more difficult, as the Region of Durham is closing

• Park Road South [Regional Road 54] between Cromwell Avenue and Bloor Street West

to accommodate Ontario Ministry of Transportation contractors who are widening Highway 401. The project requires the Ministry to demolish and rebuild the overpass that carries traffic on Park South over the highway.

Durham Region Transit is detouring buses along these routes, while the street is closed:

• Route 403; and
• Route 421.

Due to the construction on Simcoe South, DRT was also detouring buses along these routes onto Park Road South:

• PULSE 901; and
• Route N2.

Starting July 13, it further detours buses along these routes.

Construction on Park Road South and the resulting DRT detours continue until further notice.

Metrolinx is extending GO Transit’s 09 Lakeshore East line to Bowmanville, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Metrolinx has started “early-works” construction for the Bowmanville extension project. It’s replacing the Simcoe Street Bridge over the Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway (CPKC) Belleville subdivision tracks in Oshawa. The bridge is more than 100 years old and nearing the end of its service life. The new bridge will be higher and longer and Metrolinx will realign it “to meet current engineering standards.” It’s also expanding the rail corridor in the area and adding a new GO train track.

^ An aerial view of where the work will be taking place. Image, Metrolinx

Since Monday, January 12, the Region of Durham has closed:

• Simcoe Street South [Regional Road 2] between Avenue and Albany streets

in the City of Oshawa to accommodate the work.

Metrolinx explains that “This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of both the public and crews as they work on multiple construction activities,” including:

• demolishing and removing the old bridge structure;
• installing new foundations and piling to support the new bridge; and
• completing other road and utility works resulting from the project.

Durham Region Transit has been detouring buses along these routes, while the street is closed:

• PULSE 901; and
• Route N2.

Starting Monday, July 13, DRT revises the detour paths due to another construction project that blocks Park Road South.

GO Transit started detouring its buses Saturday, January 3 to prepare its passengers for the construction. GO buses along these routes are detouring:

• 52 Oshawa / Vaughan;
• 56 Oshawa / Oakville; and
• 92 Oshawa / Yorkdale.

Construction of the Simcoe Street South bridge and the resulting DRT and GO detours continue “for approximately two years,” meaning as late as until January 31, 2028.

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Lakeshore East line, as part of the GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

Events in Brampton, Hamilton, Milton and Toronto affect transit services this weekend — Thursday, July 9, Friday, July 10, Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12.

As part of its preventative maintenance program, the TTC continues to inspect the overhead streetcar infrastructure every month “to ensure reliable streetcar service.”

From 1 until 4 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, Wednesday, July 8 and Thursday, July 9, its crews are inspecting the wiring and other infrastructure in the Spadina Station streetcar terminal and tunnel.

It’s detouring streetcars along these routes, while the crews are working:

• 310 Spadina overnight; and
• 510 Spadina.

Shuttle buses replace the cars north of College.

^ Note that the map contains an error. Streetcars along the 310 / 510 Spadina routes currently don’t operate along Queens Quay West, due to service changes supporting FIFA World Cup activities.

City of Toronto contractors are working on a project to replace the water main and the City-owned portion of substandard water services on Bathurst Street south of Steeles Avenue West. During this project, crews are also:

• resurfacing the roadway;
• installing one-way cycle tracks on both sides of the road in the boulevard;
• installing TTC priority measures;
• improving pedestrian safety;
• installing new streetscaping; and
• upgrading traffic signals.

Starting 7 a.m. Monday, July 7, the work zone restricts northbound traffic on Bathurst from turning left onto westbound Fisherville Road.

The TTC is detouring buses along this route, while the turn restrictions are in effect:

• 7 Bathurst.

This phase of construction on Bathurst south of Steeles West and the resulting TTC detour continue until July 10

Starting 7 a.m. Monday, July 6, City of Toronto are working to remove streetcar tracks to be at

• the intersection of Danforth Avenue with Dawes Road. After removing the tracks, crews will install a concrete road base and pave the roadway.

The work zone restricts left turns from Danforth onto Dawes. The TTC is detouring buses along this route, while turn restrictions are in effect:

• 23 Dawes.

Construction at Danforth / Dawes and the resulting TTC detour continues until July 10 (5 a.m.).

The TTC is advising passengers that, starting 6 a.m. Monday, July 6, it’s detouring buses along this route “due to [City of] Toronto Water work:”

• 503 Kingston Rd.

Toronto Water crews are apparently working in the area of Kingston Road and Victoria Park Avenue, but the transit agency hasn’t specified the exact site.

On the other hand, the TTC has also announced that its crews are “conducting urgent in-ground lubricator upgrades / replacement inside Bingham streetcar loop.” It explains that “these repairs are part of TTC’s preventative maintenance program to ensure safe and reliable streetcar operations. Work will involve some excavations inside the streetcar loop.”

The TTC hasn’t announced detours for buses along other routes in the area, including 12 Kingston Rd, 117 Birchmount South, 316 Kingston Rd - McCowan overnight, 322 Coxwell overnight or 324 Victoria Park overnight. However, since construction is occurring only on the south side of the loop, buses along route 322 likely follow the same detour path as “daytime” buses along route 503.

Toronto Water activity near Kingston / Victoria Park, TTC repairs in Bingham Loop and the resulting detour continue until July 13.

On our YouTube video channel, we’ve had our historic footage videos, and we’ve had our frenetic timelapses. How about now we slow things right down, at least for a little while?

On January 9, 2026, while filming footage for the Union Rush Timelapse video, I parked myself on the bridge between the north and south wings of the Metro Convention Center, set my camera against a west-facing window, and just let things roll. For the next half hour, there was at least one train in view.

This is the opposite of a timelapse video. This footage is shown unedited and at normal speed, and we do nothing but sit and watch the trains rumble by. If that’s your jam, sit back and enjoy the sights and ambient sounds looking west along the Union railway corridor as the sun sets on another busy day.