Transit Toronto

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University subway earlier than usually between Sheppard West and St Clair West stations Monday, September 25 until Thursday, September 28. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Sheppard West stations and between St Clair West and Finch stations after 11 p.m. those evenings.

Frequent shuttle buses partly replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers near all stations on the closed section of the line. (Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Most stations on the closed section of Line 1 remain open so you can pay fares or connect with TTC buses and streetcars and GO Transit and York Region Transit buses. However, Yorkdale and Glencairn stations are closed.

While this section of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are maintaining the tracks.

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 state of good repair work as well as… signal upgrades.”

The TTC is closing this section of Line 1 at least once more during late September and early October:

• Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1 — Sheppard West to St Clair West — track work.

Starting Monday, September 25, the City of Toronto is closing

• Henrietta Street between Castleton Avenue and east of Oscar Romero Place

to accommodate a City of Toronto project (.pdf) to repave the roadway.

The TTC is detouring buses along these routes, while the street is closed:

• 71 Runnymede; and
• 79 Scarlett Rd.

Construction on Henrietta Street and the resulting TTC detours continue until October 13.

The TTC has been detouring buses off Henrietta Street “due to Toronto Water construction” since Wednesday, June 28.

Starting Monday, September 25, the cities of Brampton and Mississauga are closing:

• Goreway Drive between Kenview Boulevard in Brampton and Brandon Gate Drive in Mississauga

to accommodate a joint project with the Canadian National Railway to build an overpass to carry traffic on Goreway across CN’s Halton subdivision tracks.

^ Image: City of Brampton. Click to enlarge.

Brampton Transit is detouring buses along this route, while the street is closed:

• 5 Bovaird.

Construction on Goreway Drive and the resulting Brampton Transit detour continue “for approximately 12-months”, meaning as late as until September 30, 2024.

Monday, September 25 and Tuesday, September 26, the City of Mississauga is closing

• Netherwood Road between Priory Crescent [west] and Almadale Court

during a project to repair the storm and sanitary sewers.

MiWay is detouring buses along these routes, while the street is closed:

• 15 Drew; and
• 30 Rexdale.

Metrolinx is building the Ontario Line subway between Exhibition Place / Ontario Place and the area near the Ontario Science Centre, through downtown Toronto.

Metrolinx contractors continue rebuilding the structure of the Queen Street East bridge near the future Riverside / Leslieville Station, as part of the Ontario-line project. The bridge carries VIA Rail Canada and GO Transit trains over the street. Construction started Monday, June 5.

From Saturday, September 24 until Saturday, October 7, the TTC is revising its long-term detours due to ongoing construction at the bridge. It’s shortening the path so that streetcars along this route only operate to and from Woodbine Loop:

• 505 Dundas.

The cars also operate along Gerrard Street East, instead of Queen East, between Coxwell and Broadview avenues.

(Woodbine Loop is on the northeast corner of Queen Street East and Kingston Road.)

It’s also introducing a new shuttle-bus route to replace route 505 cars east of Kingston Road:

• 501D Queen.

Destination signs for eastbound buses along this route display:

• 501D / 513 Queen East to Neville Park.

Westbound signs display:

• 501D / 513 Queen East to Church.

(With this change, the TTC operates three different shuttle-bus routes — 501B, 501D and 501D — to replace parts of the 501 Queen route.)

Then, from 1 a.m. Sunday, September 24 until 5 a.m. Monday, September 25, the City of Toronto is closing:

• Queen Street East between McGee and DeGrassi streets

to all traffic. The TTC is detouring all service that would usually operate along this part of Queen East, meaning all buses and streetcars along these routes:

• 72 Pape;
• 301 Queen overnight;
• 501D Queen shuttle buses;
• 503 Kingston Rd; and
• 505 Dundas.

From 10 p.m. Friday, September 22 until 4 a.m. Saturday, September 23 and from 5 a.m. Monday, September 25 until 10 p.m. Friday, September 29, passengers aboard all TTC vehicles operating under the bridge can expect delays.

The City will again close the street to support this project and the TTC will again detour services from 10 p.m. Friday, September 29 until 5 a.m. Monday, October 2.

Starting 10 p.m. Friday, September 22, crews use saws to cut rails to start realigning the train tracks. They then shift the tracks to the west side of the rail corridor, where they’ll install the in their new position. They can only work on the tracks while trains aren’t operating. This weekend, GO is replacing trains with buses along the 09 Lakeshore East line and not operating trains along the 71 Stouffville line south of Kennedy GO Station.

Then, from 1 a.m. Sunday, September 24 until 5 a.m. Monday, September 25, the City closes Queen between McGee and DeGrassi streets to all traffic — meaning motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.

While the street is closed and trains are temporarily not operating, contractors use excavators, saws and jackhammers to break and demolish concrete that forms part of the bridge in areas that they can only access when the rail corridor is closed. Dump trucks haul away materials, including including concrete, steel, rebar and other debris.

By working overnight, construction crews have enough time to complete all necessary activities during the closure of Queen Street East and the GO train service on the Lakeshore East corridor. Crews can’t safely move GO tracks while trains are operating along the rail corridor during the day.

Similarly, for public safety, Queen Street East must be closed during bridge demolition works. Crews must complete work with significant traffic impacts at night and over the weekend to minimize impacts to the travelling public and reduce the length of construction.

Metrolinx says that closing Queen Street East road on Sunday, September 24 allows crews to complete work in one week instead of two.

From Monday, September 25 until Friday, September 29, crews complete piling work from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day. They work to reinforce the bridge structure overnight from 8 p.m. until 4 a.m.

They use pile drill rigs to dig holes into the ground which they then fill with rebar and concrete to form temporary bridge support structures or caissons. They use welding equipment and other hand tools to build the steel beams on the bridge deck.

From 8 p.m. until 4 a.m. each night, the work zone restricts traffic on Queen Street East to one lane only, with traffic alternating in each direction.

The work zone blocks sidewalks and traffic lanes alternately on the north and south sides of Queen Street East under the bridge as work progresses from one end of the bridge to the other. It only blocks traffic lanes and sidewalks at night. They reopen during the day after each night of work.

Traffic-control personnel or a “paid-duty” Toronto Police Service officer will be present direct traffic and pedestrians.

From 10 p.m. Friday, September 29 until 5 a.m. Monday, October 2, the City again closes the roadway. Crews use saws, jackhammers, excavators, loaders and dump trucks to demolish concrete and remove materials from the bridge.

Expect noise from construction activities, including concrete-breaking, rail-cutting, and moving equipment and materials. Clear signs will be in place to direct vehicles and pedestrians. Traffic barrels, fencing and barriers will separate and secure work zones. Crews position site lighting downward into the rail corridor and away from residential properties.

GO Transit is only operating trains along the 71 Stouffville line between Old Elm and Kennedy GO stations this weekend. Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24. Metrolinx crews are working on the Lakeshore East line this weekend. Board TTC trains along Line 2 Bloor - Danforth to travel between Kennedy and Union Station.

Stouffville-line trains don’t operate between Kennedy and Union this weekend. Give yourself plenty of time to transfer between GO and TTC trains at Kennedy. Customer-service staff will be on site to guide you.

If you require accessible service, board the accessible coach and staff will guide you to the TTC entrance at Kennedy Station.

Note that GO buses replace trains along the Lakeshore East line all day Saturday and Sunday.

From late Friday, September 22 until the end of day Sunday, September 24, GO Transit is cancelling train service along the 09 Lakeshore East line due to construction and maintenance work.

Metrolinx is maintaining the tracks and signals. It’s also conducting bridge work to help prepare for construction of the future Ontario Line subway. Crews can only complete these projects when trains aren’t operating.

Shuttle buses replace trains along the line, but will not drop off or pick up passengers in Rouge Hill, Guildwood, Eglinton, Scarborough or Danforth GO stations. Instead, board the TTC to travel to and from those stations. Buses serve all stops between Durham College Oshawa and Pickering GO stations, then operate express — without stopping — to Union Station.

Some buses only drop off or pick up passengers only in Durham College Oshawa and Whitby GO stations, then operate express — without stopping — to Union Station Bus Terminal. Some buses only serve passengers in Ajax and Pickering GO stations, then operate express to Union. And some buses serve passengers in Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax and Pickering, then operate express to Union.

GO is adjusting schedules and connection times this weekend. Check schedules and leave earlier than usually to make sure you can board your bus or train at the correct time. GO is adjusting the schedules for buses along the 88 Peterborough / Oshawa route to make sure passengers can connect with trains.

Depending on your destination, you may wish to use other GO services, including buses along the 92 Oshawa / Yorkdale or 96 Oshawa / Finch express routes to connect with local transit and continue your commute.

GO is adjusting schedules and connection times this weekend. Check schedules and leave earlier than usually to make sure you can board your bus or train at the correct time.

Friday, September 22

Westbound

• The train that usually starts its trip in Durham College Oshawa GO Station at 9:10 p.m. is the last train to leave Oshawa for Union Station.
• After 9:30 p.m., buses replace trains. Buses leave stops earlier than the usual train time.

Eastbound

• The last trains that start in Union Station at 9:30, 10:35 and 11:30 p.m. are the last trains to leave Union for Oshawa.
• After train service ends, GO buses operate to and from Union Station Bus Terminal. Buses leave stops later than the usual train time.

Saturday, September 23
Sunday, September 24

• Buses replace trains all day.
• Late-night / early-morning buses continue to operate along the 90B Lakeshore East route with regular schedules.

^ A four-car train heads away from Kennedy station, turning down the sharp decline to the at-grade run to Lawrence East in this 2003 shot. Photo by E. Victor C.

The TTC is inviting you to* celebrate the end of a transit era* and say farewell to the Line 3 Scarborough rapid transit line (the SRT). This Saturday, September 23, the transit agency is hosting what it’s calling “a special event, filled with fun, memorabilia and special guests” at Scarborough Centre Station.

You’ll have a final opportunity to step on board one of the iconic blue SRT trains, which served millions of Scarborough residents and visitors for 38 years with automated rail cars and pioneering linear-induction propulsion technology.

According to a TTC news release, “the celebration promises to be a fun, nostalgic event that transports visitors back to 1985 when the SRT began operations. The day will feature two static SRT trains on the station platforms, memorabilia, music, local artists and a marketplace with Scarborough artisans.”

Here’s the formal programme for the day’s activities:

Schedule is as follows:

• 10:15 a.m.: Formal remarks and cake-cutting ceremony with TTC employees to celebrate Line 3’s retirement
• 10:30 a.m.: TTC newlywed Marc Tan, his wife Kelsey and their dog Viva will be taking wedding photos with the SRT - media are invited to capture this and speak with Marc and Kelsey ahead of their wedding reception later that afternoon.
• 11:30 a.m.: TTC welcomes the public to SRT farewell event.
• Noon: Formal remarks to the public
• 4 p.m.: Event ends.

The event raises money for the United Way, with a silent auction featuring authentic SRT parts and exclusive merchandise.

From the Transit Toronto archives, read:

• “The Rise and Fall of the Scarborough RT” by James Bow, here.

^ Rebuilt TTC ICTS trains (westbound led by #3024, eastbound rear brought up by #3020) pass each other at Midland Station on the afternoon of May 30, 2018. Photo by James Bow.

Nuit Blanche, Toronto’s annual all-night arts festival takes place this weekend and the TTC is offering festival-goers all-night subway service to help them travel to and from the various venues this weekend.

Nuit Blanche and other events in the Ancaster area of Hamilton, Brampton, Burlington, central Hamilton, the North York area of Toronto, Oshawa and the central area of Toronto affect transit services this weekend, Friday, September 22, Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24.

The TTC has announced that, starting 7 p.m. Friday, September 22, it’s detouring buses along this route, “due to [City of] Toronto Water work”:

• 93 Parkview Hills.

The construction zone blocks bus access through

• the intersection of Parkview Hills Crescent with Aspen Avenue.

The TTC has not specified whether construction is taking place at the south or north intersection of Parkview Hills / Aspen and the City’s website provides no information about the project.

Construction at Parkview Hills / Aspen and the resulting TTC detour continue until December 31.