As part of the TTC’s plans to maintain a state of good repair and continue to modernize its streetcar system, it has been upgrading the streetcar overhead power system and renewing other infrastructure in the terminals at St Clair West and St Clair stations and at several sites on St. Clair Avenue West since Tuesday, September 3, 2023.
The TTC has also co-ordinated this work with other projects in the area by Metrolinx, the City of Toronto and other agencies.
The transit agency is now getting ready to finish working at St Clair West Station — nearly two weeks earlier than it planned. But, first, it’s going to temporarily replace streetcars with buses, starting 11 p.m. Friday, November 1.
(And, by operating buses, instead of streetcars, the TTC is allowing more time for (City of) Toronto Water crews to repair the sinkhole on St. Clair Avenue West at Deer Park Crescent. The sinkhole has forced the TTC to detour streetcars to and from Bathurst Station since Monday, October 21.)
Removing streetcar service allows the TTC to accommodate the final phase of construction in the station and loop. The agency claims that crews couldn’t complete this final phase of work when it removed streetcar service earlier this year, “as that would have prolonged the full removal of streetcar service.”
During this final period of construction:
- Buses replace streetcars along the 312 St Clair overnight and 512 St Clair routes. The buses operate between Gunns loop (west of Keele Street) and St Clair Station streetcar terminal, east of Yonge Street. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at curbside stops along the full route. Buses serve passengers at St Clair West Station from curbside stops located just outside the station’s two main entrances.
- Buses along the 33 Forest Hill and 126 Christie routes continue to serve St Clair West Station from the same curbside stops just outside the station’s two main entrances.
- Buses along the 90 Vaughan buses route continue along their current detour to and from Bathurst Station.
While the buses are operating, crews will be working on the overhead wiring, track and other structures in the station terminal. They will also rehabilitate the streetcar shelter on St. Clair West at Spadina Road, starting Monday, November 4. The TTC expects work on the shelter at Spadina to continue “approximately one week,” meaning as late as until Remembrance Day, Monday, November 11.
The TTC usually assigns eight to ten streetcars to serve passengers along the 512 St Clair route, depending on time of day. During this period of construction, it’s operating 15 to 30 buses to meet demand.
Although the work area is small, the TTC says it has opted to replace streetcars with buses along the entire route to reduce the number of transfers for passengers travelling longer distances.
The underground terminal at St Clair West Station reopens to streetcars at 5 a.m. Thursday, November 14. Buses along the 33 Forest Hill, 90 Vaughan and 126 Christie routes resume service into and out of the terminal Sunday, November 17. The TTC originally predicted that work at the loop would continue until December.
The TTC expects to start upgrading structures at St Clair Station as early as summer 2025.