Transit Toronto

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, the Hamilton Street Railway is adjusting service levels, it says, to make sure it can “continue to provide reliable service.” It’s modifying schedules from Sunday, January 23 until Saturday, April 30.

Generally, buses temporarily operate with summer schedules. Since the HSR hasn’t yet provided details of the schedules, this post offers unofficial information. We’ve based it on information that the HSR has provided about summer service in the past.

A major snowstorm hit Toronto, the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area and most of Southern Ontario Monday, January 17.

As a result, Metrolinx has told passengers that “This has been a challenging week for transit riders… As work is carried out across the network to clean up snow, repair infrastructure and move equipment to the right places, service will continue to be reduced and adjusted in the coming days. The impact of the weather has led into a planned temporary reduction of GO Transit service.”

Staff shortages resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to impact service. The transit agency further explains,

“Metrolinx, like many other transit companies and businesses around the globe, is experiencing significantly reduced ridership, as well as an impact on staffing, due to the Omicron variant [of the COVID-19 virus].

“A recent 15 per cent reduction in rail services did not adequately address the impact of the latest wave of the virus, which interrupted what was looking like a slow return to some travel normalcy.

“GO Transit ridership had grown throughout the summer and fall of 2021. However, ridership began to rapidly fall at the end of 2021 through this part of 2022, as illness levels grew, and is currently approximately 10 to 12 per cent of pre-pandemic levels - a very similar level of ridership seen during the early days of the pandemic in 2020.

“Simply put, there are far fewer [passengers] using GO Transit buses and trains right now as many return to working from home, post-secondary students study online and events are cancelled or attendance is limited. The recent storm meant even fewer [passengers] climbed onboard trains and buses.

“To make the best use of our resources while demand is low, we’re reducing some rail and bus service, replacing some GO train service with buses, and adjusting some schedules… This additional reduction of rail service is 47 per cent below Metrolinx’s peak service levels in October.

“A similar level of service - with some adjustments - will continue beyond the weekend as GO Transit introduces new schedules to address reduced ridership due to the Omicron variant.”

GO is adjusting the schedules for trains along these lines:

• 01 Lakeshore West;
• 09 Lakeshore East;
• 31 Kitchener;
• 61 Richmond Hill;
• 65 Barrie; and
• 71 Stouffville.

Starting Saturday, January 22, it’s adjusting the schedules for buses along these routes:

• 12 Niagara Falls / Burlington;
• 18 Lakeshore West;
• 19 Mississauga / North York;
• 25 Waterloo / Mississauga;
• 27 Milton / North York;
• 29 Guelph / Etobicoke;
• 31 Guelph / Georgetown / Toronto;
• 32 Brampton / Trinity Common / North York;
• 36 Brampton / North York express;
• 41 Hamilton / Pickering;
• 45 Mississauga / Markham;
• 47 Hamilton / Vaughan;
• 56 Oshawa / Oakville;
• 61 Richmond Hill / Toronto;
• 65 East Gwillimbury / Newmarket / Toronto;
• 71 Uxbridge / Stouffville / Toronto;
• 92 Oshawa / Yorkdale.

Sources:

• Metrolinx news blog post, “Metrolinx adjusts GO Transit schedules further to address reduction in ridership during latest wave of pandemic ”, by Anne Marie Aitkins, Metrolinx head of media and public relations, here.
• GO Transit: “Service Updates”, here.

Metrolinx and its contractors continue construction of the Hurontario light rail transit line in Mississauga and Brampton.

Since Monday, August 30, the contractors have been relocating utilities

• on Rathburn Road West between west of Duke of York Boulevard and Hurontario Street; and
• on Rathburn Road East just east of Hurontario.

Starting Monday, January 17, the work zone blocks all access by MiWay buses to platform A for the City Centre Terminal — on Rathburn West, just west of the bus entrance to the terminal.

MiWay is relocating the stops for southbound buses along this route:

• 109 Meadowvale express**

from platform A to the terminal’s platform L — on Rathburn, just west of the bus exit from the terminal.

This phase of the LRT construction project does not affect the path for Brampton Transit or GO Transit buses — although passengers aboard the buses can expect delays.

LRT construction on Rathburn Road West continues to block bus access to platform L at City Centre Terminal until January 24.

^ Platform L on Rathburn Road West. Image, MiWay

The City of Toronto is upgrading sidewalks on Bloor Street between Dundas Street West and Perth Avenue. Its contractors recently completed work on the south sidewalk and, starting Tuesday, January 18, they are begin upgrading the north side.

This changes how you access Bloor GO / Union Pearson Express Station:

• The work zone blocks the north sidewalk between the east entrance of the station and Perth Avenue.
• If you are accessing the station from Bloor Street West, use the west entrance to get to the station.
• If you are arriving at the station from the east side, cross to the south sidewalk at Symington Avenue, walk westward beyond the station and cross back to the north side of the sidewalk at the intersection of Bloor and Dundas Streets West to access the west entrance.
• The east stairwell from the sidewalk remains open.
• Directional signs in the area contain information to help guide you along your way.

^ Click to enlarge.

Crews work on this part of the project “for approximately four weeks”, meaning as late as until February 20. When they’ve completed this part, they’ll start working on the sidewalk between Dundas West and the west entrance of the station.

Metrolinx is upgrading Bradford GO Station, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Starting Monday, January 17, GO Transit is getting ready start upgrading the station:

• It’s sectioning off about 30 parking spaces in the south section of the parking lot near Bridge Street to store equipment. This will not change how you access the station.

^ Click to enlarge.

During the upgrade project GO is:

• Installing a signal at the Dissette Street entrance to improve traffic flow.
• Building new sidewalks into the station from Dissette Street and Bridge Street.
• Improving station lighting and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras;
• Improving the parking lot and increasing the number of parking spaces;
• Improving the stormwater-management system; and
• Upgrading the bus loop with three new bays and installing a new heated shelter.

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 TTC is rebuilding the driveway and surrounding area of the lower level of the bus terminal at Wilson Station. It’s built a temporary terminal in a parking lot at the station for buses to serve passengers during construction.

Starting Monday, January 17, buses along these routes pick up passengers in the temporary terminal:

• 29A / 29C Dufferin;
• 104 Faywood;
• 160 Bathurst North; and
• 929 Dufferin express.

Image, TTC via Steve Munro

If you need to enter the station through the accessible entrance, you’ll have to proceed from the temporary platform to the southern part of the parking lot and then access the ramp to the main accessible entrance.

Buses along these routes continue to operate to and from their regular platforms in the upper level of the bus terminal at Wilson Station:

• 96A / 96B / 96D Wilson;
• 118 Thistle Down;
• 119 Torbarrie;
• 120 Calvington;
• 165 Weston Rd North; and
• 996 Wilson express.

Construction in the lower level terminal of Wilson Station and the resulting TTC service changes continue “until December 2022”, meaning as late as until December 31.

MiWay is temporarily suspending service along the 103 Hurontario express route Saturday, January 15. The Mississauga transit agency is responding to staff shortages due to COVID-19-related absences.

Service resumes Sunday, January 16.

From 9 p.m. Friday, January 14 until 5 a.m. Monday, January 17, the City of Toronto is closing

• Bay Street between Dundas Street West and Hagerman Street

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:

• 19 Bay.

From 10 p.m. Sunday, January 16 until 6 a.m. Monday, January 17, the City of Toronto is closing

• Rexdale Boulevard between Highway 27 and Humberwoods Boulevard,

while crews rehabilitate the bridge carrying traffic along Rexdale over Jockey Club Road.

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

• 11 Westwood; and
• 30 Rexdale.

The construction and bridge closure likely also affects TTC service, but the agency has not announced detours for buses along this route:

• 37 Islington via Rexdale.

Metrolinx and its contractors continue construction of the Hurontario light rail transit line in Mississauga and Brampton.

Since Monday, August 30, the contractors have been relocating utilities

• on Rathburn Road West between west of Duke of York Boulevard and Hurontario Street; and
• on Rathburn Road East just east of Hurontario.

This weekend, from 2:30 a.m. Saturday, January 15 until 4 a.m. Monday, January 17, the work zone blocks MiWay bus access to City Centre Terminal. MiWay is temporarily relocating bus stops to Rathburn West, affecting service along these routes:

• 2 Hurontario;
• 3 Bloor;
• 6 Credit Woodlands;
• 7 Airport;
• 8 Cawthra;
• 9 Rathburn - Thomas;
• 10 Bristol - Britannia;
• 17 Hurontario;
• 28 Confederation;
• 34 Credit Valley;
• 61 Mavis;
• 66 McLaughlin; and
• 68 Terry Fox.

Buses along these routes continue to pick up passengers at their regular on-street platforms:

• 20 Rathburn;
• 26 Burnhamthorpe;
• 109 Meadowvale express; and
• 110 University express.

Brampton Transit buses along the 502 Züm Main route continue to serve passengers at their regular on-street platform.

^ Click to enlarge.

Construction does not affect GO Transit buses operating to and from Square One GO Bus Terminal.

Since Monday, November 8, LRT construction has blocked some buses from dropping off or picking up passengers at platform L on Rathburn Road West beside the terminal. Since Wednesday, November 17, 2021 (and until further notice), the construction has blocked buses from serving passengers from at an eastbound stop on Rathburn West at City Centre Drive.

Since Friday, January 7, MiWay has temporarily suspended service along the 107 Malton express route, which would usually operate to and from the terminal. Starting Monday, January 17, it’s suspending service along the 110 University route.

Monday, January 17, MiWay buses return to the terminal, but construction blocks access to platform A.