Transit Toronto

Region of Durham contractors are getting ready for a major construction project

• at the intersection of Bloor Street West with Wilson Road South

in the City of Oshawa.

Early construction work near the intersection prevents buses from turning from Wilson South north of Bloor onto Bloor East east of Wilson.

Starting 7 a.m. Tuesday, February 23, Durham Region Transit is detouring buses along this route during this preliminary phase of the construction:

• 407 Ritson.

This phase of construction at Bloor East / Wilson South and the resulting DRT detour continues until February 28 (11:59 p.m.).

Starting 7 a.m. Monday, March 1, the Region of Durham is closing

• the intersection of Bloor Street West [Regional Road 16] with Wilson Road South [Regional Road 35]

to all traffic, as contractors resume a project to install a new a new feeder main and replace local watermain and sanitary sewer systems under Bloor East between Wilson and Ritson Roads East. The closure likely requires more extensive detours for DRT buses, but the transit agency has not yet announced diversions.

During earlier phases of the water-main and sewer projects, DRT has also detoured buses off Bloor Streets East and West:

• between Wilson and Ritson Roads, starting September 21, 2020; and
• west of Simcoe Street, starting April 14, 2017.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University between Finch and Eglinton stations earlier than usually Monday, February 22 until Thursday, February 25. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Eglinton stations after 11 p.m. those days.

Shuttle buses partly replace subway service, dropping off or picking up passengers at stops on Yonge Street near stations on the closed section of the line. TTC staff are available in each station to direct you to shuttle-bus stops.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Although shuttle buses are accessible, Wheel-Trans is also available for passengers. Ask TTC staff in each station for help or information about Wheel-Trans service.

Most stations on the closed section of the subway line remain open so you can pay for fares or connect with TTC buses and Line 4 Sheppard subway trains. However, North York Centre Station is closed. Note also that the TTC is temporarily closing exits / entrances at three stations:

• At Sheppard - Yonge Station, it is temporarily closing the automatic entrance / exits on Yonge Street at Poyntz Avenue and Anndale Drive. You can use all other exits / entrances at the station.
• At York Mills Station, it is temporarily closing the Old York Mills Road entrance / exit. Enter or exit the station in the York Mills Centre or Yonge Corporate Centre or at the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Wilson Avenue.
• At Lawrence Station, it’s closing the entrances / exits at Bedford Park and Ranleigh Avenues. Enter or exit the station on Yonge Street at Lawrence Avenues East and West.

While this section of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tunnel and signals in the subway corridor.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance at the conclusion of service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and [signal] upgrades.”

The TTC is closing this section of Line 1 five more times in February and March:

• Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 — Finch to Eglinton — Eglinton Crosstown LRT construction and ATC signal installation.
• Monday, March 1 until Thursday, March 4 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 — Finch to St Clair — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Monday, March 8 until Thursday, March 11 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Sunday, March 14 — Sheppard - Yonge to Bloor — automatic train control installation.

Starting Monday, February 22, MiWay completes another step in fulfilling the recommendations of its MiWay5 service plan, by extending the path for buses along the 53 Kennedy route to Cooksville GO Station.

(Recent Metrolinx construction to expand the bus loop at the station has allowed MiWay to extend route 53 service to Cooksville.)

MiWay is also no longer diverting buses along route 53 to and from the Paramount Centre during all times of the week except Mondays to Fridays during rush hours.

^ Path for buses along the 53 Kennedy route, starting Monday, February 22.

The Mississauga transit agency is also revising the path for buses along the 44 Mississauga Road route due to long-term construction.

It’s also making other minor changes to its services starting February 22. It resumed extra services to and from high schools, starting Tuesday, February 16.

^ Path for buses along the 44 Mississauga Road route, starting Monday, February 22.

Update — Tuesday, February 23, 11:46 a.m.: Crews are temporarily installing a crane in the passenger drop-off and pick-up area (or “Kiss and Ride”) Wednesday, February 24 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The station building and Kiss and Ride area remain open during this work.

^ Image: Metrolinx

Metrolinx and its contractors continue a long-term project project to transform Rutherford GO Station by 2022, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Contractors are also building a grade separation — a bridge to carry GO Transit’s Barrie-line tracks over Rutherford Road. This means that motorists will no longer have to wait for a train to pass — improving the safety of everyone near the station. The work zone for the bridge project may change the way you access Rutherford GO Station.

Starting Monday, February 22, GO Transit is installing a temporary pathway to detour pedestrians around the construction zone. The temporary pathway remains in place for “two weeks”, meaning as late as until March 7.

Since Tuesday, February 16, GO has temporarily relocated the two PRESTO fare-card machines outside the station building to near the entrance doors closest to Rutherford Road. The two PRESTO machines in the station building remain available.

Since Thursday, June 26, GO Transit has closed about 130 parking spaces in the main parking lot closer to Westburne Drive. You will still have access to parking spaces closer to the station building.

Since Monday, June 29, GO has closed the north half of the platform for construction of a second track and platform.

This temporarily changes how you get on trains until contractors finish this phase of the project “in late 2020” or until about December 31. You may have to adjust where you normally board your train. The doors of some coaches will not open from outside of the train. Spread out along the platform and keep the accessibility coach available for those who need it most.

^ Click to enlarge.

Metrolinx has already installed a pedestrian tunnel under the track. Eventually, the tunnel will connect you to the second platform and track that contractors are building as part of this project.

GO has changed how you get into and around the station while contractors build a new parking garage:

• Traffic on Rutherford Road detours onto a temporary roadway between Westburn Drive and Peter Rupert Avenue. The four-lane detour road will be in place until crews complete the new railway overpass bridge “in spring 2022” or until May 31, 2022.
• The work zone blocks the south entrance to the station from Westburne Drive. Use the north entrance from Westburne Drive to access the main parking lot.
• GO has reshaped the passenger drop-off and pick-up area or “Kiss and Ride”. It’s closed the two south lanes and extended the lanes to the west.
• It’s moved the bike racks to the west side of the station building, close to the Kiss and Ride.
• It’s relocated all reserved and most carpool parking spaces to a temporary parking lot at 635 Westburne Drive until the parking garage opens in 2022.
• It’s also relocated motorcycle and scooter parking to the temporary lot.
• It’s also closed ten regular parking spaces for safety during parking-garage construction.
• It’s relocated all accessible parking spaces to the two lanes west of the Kiss & Ride.

^ Image: Metrolinx

Once contractors have finished the project, Rutherford GO Station will include:

• A new second track and platform to accommodate more frequent Barrie line service in both directions;
• better platforms with canopies to connect to the new parking garage;
• new elevators on both platforms to connect to the pedestrian tunnel;
• the new parking structure with 1,200 more spaces
• a new railway bridge over Rutherford Road to enhance safety and enable 15-minute two-way electrified GO service in the future;
• better pedestrian and cyclist connectivity, including a pedestrian bridge over Rutherford Road, and bike lanes on Rutherford Road;
• 100 new bike parking spots;
• a better bus loop for better connections to York Region Transit and the passenger drop-off and pick-up area or “Kiss ‘n’ Ride”;
• a better station building.

^ Image: Metrolinx

Metrolinx is also working with the City of Vaughan to improve access into and out of the station, which has become challenging as ridership has grown over the last few years.

Metrolinx expects to open the new parking spots and the grade separation in 2022.

^ Image: Metrolinx

You can learn more about the project to improve Rutherford GO Station here and here.

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

Rendering of the future station building and parking structure. Image: GO Transit

Metrolinx continues a project to upgrade Bramalea GO Station, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Starting Monday, February 22, GO Transit is closing the entrance and exit lanes to Bramalea GO Station to and from Bramalea Road, while crews upgrade the north parking lot.

Use the entrance and exit lanes at the signalized intersection with Steeles Avenue West to drive into and out of the station.

Brampton Transit buses along the 115 Airport express route continue to drop off or pick up passengers at their regular stop on Bramalea Road beside the access road. BT passengers can use the temporary pedestrian path to the Steeles bus loop entrance / exit to get to and from the station. Directional signs will guide you along your way. This will add about five minutes to your commute.

Construction also temporarily affects BT buses along the 13 Avondale, 15 Bramalea and 16 Avondale routes. Buses enter the station area from Steeles Avenue West, instead of Bramalea Road. Buses along routes 13 and 16 pick up platforms in the temporary terminal at platform 7. Buses along route 15 serve passengers at platform 14.

GO expects to reopen the entrance / exit lanes “in spring”, meaning construction continues as long as until June 30.

Since Wednesday, December 16, GO has closed the temporary parking lot at Canadian Tire on the east side of Bramalea Road. It’s also closing the pedestrian path between the lot and the station, while contractors are demolishing the east tunnel access building and connecting the east tunnel to the new station building.

GO says, “There is still plenty of parking at the station including reserved and accessible spaces.”

GO expects to reopen the lot “in spring”, meaning construction continues as long as until June 30.

Since Saturday, December 5, GO has closed the northeast corner of the north parking lot beside Bramalea Road and Steeles Avenue West. Contractors are completing underground work, repairing curbs, repaving this section of the lot and installing light poles.

Bus stops 15 and 16 at the northeast corner of the north parking lot remain open.

GO expects to reopen the lot “in spring”, meaning construction continues as long as until June 30.

Since Monday, November 23, GO has closed the east tunnel at the station, while crews connect the tunnel to the new station building. Use the walkway to the new west tunnel access building to connect with the west tunnel and the train platforms from the north parking lot.

PRESTO fare-payment devices are available inside the new west tunnel access building.

It’s also closed part of the south platform between the stairs to the new west tunnel and the east end of the platform, while crews repair the pavement. You can continue to use the walkway to get to the south platform from the south parking lot.

Elevator access is not available between the south platform and:

• the island platform;
• the north parking lot;
• the station building;
• the bus loop; and
• the passenger drop-off and pick-up area or “kiss and ride”.

You can use the stairs on the west side of the south platform to get to the new west tunnel which connects to these amenities.

^ Click to enlarge.

Since GO has temporarily suspended train service to and from the south platform, don’t use that platform if you need an elevator to access the station building, bus loop or parking lot on the north side. Elevators are not available at the south platform.

While GO upgrades the platforms, you may have to board or exit from trains at a different location than usually.

Travelling from Bramalea GO Station

• If you need the accessibility coach on the train, please wait at the accessibility ramp to board.

Travelling to Bramalea GO Station

• If you need to use the accessible ramp, ask the customer service ambassador in the accessible coach for help.

GO says, “We’ve finished important upgrades on the south platform and upgrades on the island platform are expected to be complete later in 2021.”

• The south platform now has a snow-melt system that helps keep the platform clear of snow and ice and overhead canopies and shelters to protect you from the weather.
• Contractors have also expanded the platform to accommodate 12-car trains.
• Once crews finish construction on the island platform, it will feature the same upgrades as the south platform does now.
• The future parking garage is starting to take shape. Contractors finished the structural work this spring and the parking garage should be open by spring 2021. Once complete, the second floor of the parking garage will provide direct access to Bramalea Road North.
• Over the next several months, contractors are installing multiple elevators to make the platforms and parking garage accessible.
• Crews have also started working underground for a new station building.

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

At Bramalea, they’re building:

• a new station structure, which links to a parking garage, adding as many as 1,300 spaces;
• a new passenger pick-up and drop-off area (or “kiss ‘n’ ride”);
• better bus platforms for GO Transit and Brampton Transit, with a new bus loop only for Brampton’s Züm rapid-transit buses;
• a bike-storage room;
• new retail spaces;
• better access to Bramalea Road;
• a new accessible pedestrian tunnel at the west end of the station;
• better safety features, including new emergency call systems and upgraded lighting; and
• better platforms with a snow-melting system, canopies and capacity for 12-car trains.

From 7 p.m. Friday, February 19 until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, February 21, the City of Toronto is closing part of

• The Esplanade between Lower Jarvis and Scott Streets

to accommodate contractors who are lifting a crane at a construction site.

The TTC is detouring buses along this route, while the street is closed:

• 121 Fort York - Esplanade.

Metrolinx intends to upgrade Aurora GO Station, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Thursday, February 18 and Friday, February 19, GO Transit is closing about 30 parking spaces in the west parking lot, closest to the platform. GO says, “There is still plenty of parking available for [passengers].”

GO’s closing the parking spots so that construction crews can get ready for future work at the station.

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

The City of Toronto, WaterfrontToronto and the TTC are studying how to extend the Waterfront light rail transit / streetcar network east of Union Station to Cherry Street.

The scope of work for the study includes:

• assessing a location for an underground-to-surface portal on Queens Quay East;
• developing temporary transit services during construction and until the extension is complete;
• updating past Environmental Assessment approvals through a Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP); and
• preparing a 30-percent design and cost estimate and a business case for the project.

(A Transit Project Assessment Process is a streamlined environmental assessment process, specifically for transit projects. The Government of Ontario requires municipalities or transit agencies to complete this process before it can approve a project.)

To meet Council’s direction, the team must complete the design, business case and project costing by fall 2021 in time for the City to start its 2022 budget process. At the same time, the team must complete an environmental project report and submitted it to Ontario for approval as part of the Transit Project Assessment Process.

You can take part in the process by joining a virtual discussion tonight, Wednesday, February 17, from 7 until 8:30 p.m.

You can:

• Sign-up with Eventbrite;
• Access the WebEx Meeting, password: WaterfrontLRT; or
• Access the meeting by phoning +1-647-484-1598 and entering access code 132 330 5585.

Staff have divided the scope of work into three focus areas:

• Area 1 is the underground section that includes the Union Station Loop, the Queens Quay - Ferry Docks Station and a new tunnel extension and portal on Queens Quay east of Bay Street.
• Area 2A is Queens Quay East to Parliament Street and overlaps surface areas with Area 1 at Bay Street. This area includes the Yonge, Jarvis, and Parliament Street slips, which present unique challenges and opportunities.
• Area 2B includes the unbuilt portion of Queens Quay between Parliament Street and the future Cherry Street, finally connecting under the rail corridor to Distillery Loop.

Portal site

A streetcar portal is infrastructure that allows streetcars to move from street-level to an underground tunnel. A similar portal is on Queens Quay West west of Bay Street. The same type of facility on Queens Quay East would allow streetcars to travel directly from the underground Union Station streetcar loop to the surface on Queens Quay East. Part of the Waterfront East LRT Extension includes a portal selection study to evaluate two alternative locations for the streetcar portal on Queens Quay East.

Alternative 1 - east of Yonge Street

A 2010 study identified a portal on Queens Quay East between Yonge and Freeland Streets, in front of the Pier 27 condominium development. Since that time, staff have studied the location further and have discovered more challenges with building a portal at this site.

^ Portal alternative 1 - current conditions

^ Portal alternative 1 - proposal

Alternative 2 - west of Yonge Street

In the second alternative, the portal is on Queens Quay East between Bay and Yonge Streets, in front of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. This alternative portal location would block the current driveway along the east side of the hotel and the entrance to the hotel motor court. Therefore, this alternative proposes a partially filling in the Yonge Street slip to provide a new access point to the hotel and driveway through the intersection of Yonge Street with Queens Quay East. A portal in this location would also displace five bus bays and three taxi stands in this block. By partially filling in the Yonge slip the portal construction project could create space for five bus bays and a pick-up and a drop-off facility for passenger vehicles to replace those spaces. The filled area would also include plaza space, the water’s edge promenade, a wave deck, and open space connecting to a future park east of the slip.

The planners are recommending alternative 2 because it offers an opportunity for more open space at base of Yonge Street and removes unsignalized driveways on Martin Goodman Trail, improving trail conditions. The revised design would relocate bus- and taxi-loading off the street, which currently conflicts with the Martin Goodman Trail and roadway operations. Staff had previously identified unsignalized driveways to and from the hotel and the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal driveway as a high-risk area for conflicts between vehicles, trail users and pedestrians. This option would consolidate these movements to a signalized intersection.

^ Portal alternative 2 - current conditions

^ Portal alternative 2 - proposal

Alternative 2 would also require a shorter tunnel. It also avoids the necessity of building the tunnel under a sewer line at Yonge Street, requiring a deeper tunnel. The result? $40-50 million less in project construction costs.

Eastern terminal

Union Station is a fixed starting point for the Waterfront East LRT extension and the ultimate end point is the Leslie Barns Maintenance and Storage Facility.

Note that long-term plans for the area include:

• extending Queens Quay East between Parliament and Cherry Streets;
• realigning Parliament and Cherry Streets;
• extending Broadview Avenue south of Eastern Avenue to Commissioners Street.

The City and its partners expect to complete the network in stages, and they are assessing the appropriate temporary end point in the Cherry Street area. They are exploring four options:

Parliament Loop

• Temporary loop near Queens Quay East and Parliament Street.
• Original terminus in earlier plans for phase 1.

Distillery Loop

• Extend Queens Quay East to Cherry Street, with streetcar connecting to the Distillery Loop

Polson Loop

• Complete to Distillery Loop, plus extend the streetcar along Cherry Street to the Ship Channel

East Harbour

• Complete to Distillery Loop, plus extend the streetcar along Cherry Street to Commissioners Street, across Commissioners and northward along the future extension of Broadview Avenue.

Temporary transit service during construction

Rebuilding the streetcar stations at Union and Queens Quay may require the closure of Bay Street for several years. How do passengers heading to and from the East Waterfront get around by public transit in the meantime?

Option 1 - Bus to / from Union Station along Yonge Street

• Complete Queens Quay East surface works first, then start construction on Union Station and Queens Quay Station.
• While Union Station and Queens Quay Station are under construction, buses operate along a new 519 bus route between Union Station and the eastern waterfront, using the dedicated streetcar tracks on Queens Quay East.
• Buses continue to operate along the 6 Bay route, but they detour along Front Street East and Yonge Street.
• Buses along a temporary route 509 replace the streetcar service east of Lower Spadina Avenue, providing a direct connection to Union Station via Yonge Street.
• Streetcars along the 510 Spadina route operate to and from Exhibition Loop, serving stops on Queens Quay West west of Lower Spadina and Fleet Street.
• Streetcars along a temporary 509B route may operate between Exhibition Loop and King Street East / Church Street during rush hours or special events, such as the Canadian National Exhibition. The cars operate along Fleet and Bathurst Streets, Queens Quay West, Lower Spadina and Spadina Avenues and King Streets West and East.

Option 2: Streetcar through from Queens Quay West

• Complete Queens Quay East surface works first, then start construction on Union Station and Queens Quay Station.
• Streetcar operates in dedicated lanes along Queens Quay West and East after construction ends on Queens Quay East, bypassing Union Station during construction.
• Buses continue to operate along the 6 Bay route, but they detour along Front Street East and Yonge Street.

Union and Queens Quay stations

Focus Area 1 is the underground section that includes the Union Station Loop, Queens Quay Station and a new tunnel extension and portal on Queens Quay east of Bay Street. To accommodate new streetcar service to the East Bayfront area of the waterfront, the City and its partners must:

• significantly expand the two underground stations;
• build new running tunnel and portal structures under Queens Quay West between Bay and Yonge Streets;
• build tracks in the tunnel and portal structures; and
• Reinstate all roadways in the construction zone.

Union Station

• The current streetcar station has one single curved platform with direct access to the TTC’s subway platform area and beyond.
• The proposed design includes expanding the station to accommodate as many as four streetcar platforms and new crossover tracks that allow the cars to operate to and from each platform independently.

^ Current layout of streetcar platform at Union Station.

^ Proposed layout of future streetcar platforms at Union Station.

Queens Quay Station

• The current station has one platform on each side and entrance connections to and from the street level.
• The proposed expansion of the station includes as many as one more platform on each side, an better entrance on the west side, an underground connection to the active development at 11 Bay Street and new emergency exits. It also includes a lower level so that passengers can cross safely from one side of the station to the other.

^ Current layout of streetcar platforms at Queens Quay Station.

^ Proposed layout of future streetcar platforms at Queens Quay Station.

More information

• City of Toronto: “Waterfront East LRT extension”, here.
• WaterfrontToronto: “East Bayfront precinct”, here.
• Steve Munro: “Waterfront East LRT Virtual Public Meeting”, here.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University between Finch and Eglinton stations earlier than usually Tuesday, February 16 until Thursday, February 18. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Eglinton stations after 11 p.m. those days.

Shuttle buses partly replace subway service, dropping off or picking up passengers at stops on Yonge Street near stations on the closed section of the line. TTC staff are available in each station to direct you to shuttle-bus stops.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Although shuttle buses are accessible, Wheel-Trans is also available for passengers. Ask TTC staff in each station for help or information about Wheel-Trans service.

Most stations on the closed section of the subway line remain open so you can pay for fares or connect with TTC buses and Line 4 Sheppard subway trains. However, North York Centre Station is closed. Note also that the TTC is temporarily closing exits / entrances at three stations:

• At Sheppard - Yonge Station, it is temporarily closing the automatic entrance / exits on Yonge Street at Poyntz Avenue and Anndale Drive. You can use all other exits / entrances at the station.
• At York Mills Station, it is temporarily closing the Old York Mills Road entrance / exit. Enter or exit the station in the York Mills Centre or Yonge Corporate Centre or at the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Wilson Avenue.
• At Lawrence Station, it’s closing the entrances / exits at Bedford Park and Ranleigh Avenues. Enter or exit the station on Yonge Street at Lawrence Avenues East and West.

While this section of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tunnel and signals in the subway corridor.

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance at the conclusion of service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and [signal] upgrades.”

The TTC is closing this section of Line 1 five more times in February and March:

• Monday, February 22 until Thursday, February 25 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Saturday, February 27 and Sunday, February 28 — Finch to Eglinton — Eglinton Crosstown LRT construction and ATC signal installation.
• Monday, March 1 until Thursday, March 4 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 — Finch to St Clair — tunnel and signal upgrades.
• Monday, March 8 until Thursday, March 11 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — tunnel and signal upgrades.

From 12:01 until 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 17, Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19, the TTC is closing the streetcar tunnel at Spadina Station, so that crews can maintain and inspect the tracks and overhead wiring.

The TTC is detouring streetcars along these routes, while the tunnel is closed:

• 310 Spadina overnight; and
• 510 Spadina.

Shuttle buses replace the cars north of King Street West.

Nearby residents can expect noise from TTC overhead vehicles when they’re backing up on the ramp that leads to the Spadina Station streetcar tunnel.