Starting today, Sunday, June 19, the TTC is co-ordinating various accessibility and infrastructure projects to improve both St Clair West and St Clair stations and streetcar service on St. Clair Avenue. The projects, in part, help the TTC prepare for the new, accessible Toronto Flexity streetcars, which it plans operate along St. Clair Avenue in 2018.
Due to the various projects, the TTC is operating buses, instead of streetcars, along this route:
- 512 St Clair.
The temporary 512 St Clair bus route is a “POP” route, meaning you can board any bus at any stop at any door at any time, if you have a POP — a proof of payment, such as a transfer or pass. If you pay your fare with cash, tokens or tickets, make sure you pick up a paper transfer when you pay, if you plan to change between subway trains and buses at St. Clair West and St. Clair Stations.
The TTC has also equipped all buses operating along 512 St Clair with PRESTO fare-card devices.
On St. Clair Avenue, crews are:
- adjusting a four-metre (12-foot) section of the passenger platforms at all stops along St. Clair Avenues East and West to provide enough space for TTC operators to deploy the accessibility ramps on the new streetcars;
- installing more railings for passenger safety;
- installing tactile strips to guide visually impaired passengers; and
- replacing the concrete in the streetcar tracks at Vaughan Road.
Photo: TTC.
Since buses operating along the 512 St Clair route travel along St. Clair Avenue in mixed traffic, instead of the streetcar right-of-way, the TTC is working with the City of Toronto to co-ordinate the timing of signals to improve how buses and all traffic flows along the street.
Crews are installing a new roof and replacing the streetcar loading platform at St Clair Station and installing new elevators and replacing streetcar tracks at St Clair West Station.
The TTC has produced a video to explain these complex projects and how they impact on service:
From Sunday, June 19 until Saturday, September 3, buses replace streetcars along the entire 512 St Clair route.
From Sunday, September 4 until December, streetcars again operate along the western portion of the route between St Clair West Station and Gunn’s Loop, just west of Keele Street. Buses continue to to replace streetcars between St Clair and St Clair West stations.
What to expect during construction:
- Board buses operating along the 512 St Clair route at curbside stops on St. Clair Avenue. Board the buses on the street beside St Clair West Station’s main entrance. At St Clair Station, board the buses at the lower bus terminal on Pleasant Boulevard, instead of the upper streetcar terminal on St. Clair Avenue West.
- From September 4 until December, transfer between buses and streetcars at St Clair West Station. Streetcars operate west of St Clair West; buses operate east of St Clair West.
- From June 20 until September 3, board buses operating along the 33 Forest Hill and 126 Christie routes on the street beside St Clair West Station’s main entrance.
- From June 20 until December, board buses operating along the 74 Mt Pleasant and 88 South Leaside routes on Pleasant Boulevard beside St Clair Station bus terminal.
- From June 20 until September 3, the TTC is diverting buses operating along the 90 Vaughan route to Bathurst Station, instead of St Clair West Station.
- From early May until December, buses operating along the 97 Yonge route start and end their trips in Davisville Station, instead of St Clair Station.
512 St Clair
During construction at St Clair West and St Clair stations and on St. Clair Avenues East and West, the TTC is replacing streetcars with buses, starting Sunday, June 19.
The buses detour slightly from the regular streetcar route. At St Clair West Station, they drop off or pick up passengers at stops on the street beside the station, instead of entering the terminal.
At St. Clair Station, the buses proceed:
along the regular route to St. Clair Avenue East beside the entrance to the streetcar terminal, then detour:
eastward along St. Clair East;
southward along Avoca Avenue;
westward along Pleasant Boulevard; and then
northward into the St. Clair Station bus terminal,
ending their trips.Eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Avoca Avenue south of St. Clair Avenue East and
- in St Clair Station bus terminal.
Westbound buses start their trips in the St Clair Station bus terminal, then proceed:
eastward along Pleasant; and then
northward along Avoca Avenue to St. Clair Avenue East,
resuming their regular route westward along St. Clair Avenue East.Westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- in St Clair Station bus terminal and
- on Pleasant Boulevard at Avoca Avenue.
Since the buses carry fewer passengers than streetcars, the TTC is adjusting its schedules. Buses generally operate more frequently than the streetcars at most times of the week (with some exceptions).
Starting Sunday, June 19, buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops along the route:
- every 9½ minutes, instead of every 10½ minutes, Sundays and holidays before about 8 a.m.;
- every 4 minutes 45 seconds, instead of every 5½ minutes, from about noon until 7 p.m.
- every 5 minutes 40 seconds, instead of every 5&frac; minutes, from about 7 until 10 p.m.; and
- every 10 minutes, instead of every 9 minutes, after about 10 p.m.
Starting Monday, June 20, buses serve passengers at stops:
- every 2 minutes, instead of every 2 minutes 50 seconds, Mondays to Fridays during morning rush hours;
- every 3 minutes 20 seconds, instead of every 4½ minutes, from about 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.;
- every 2 minutes 20 seconds, instead of every 3 minutes 20 seconds, during afternoon rush hours; and
- every 4 minutes 45 seconds, instead of every 6 minutes 15 seconds, from about 7 until 10 p.m.
Starting Saturday, June 19, the buses serve passengers:
- every 8 minutes, instead of every 8½ minutes, Saturdays before about 8 a.m.;
- every 4 minutes 15 seconds, instead of every 4½ minutes, from about 8 a.m. until noon;
- every 3 minutes 20 seconds, instead of every 4 minutes, from about noon until 7 p.m.; and
- every 5 minutes 20 seconds, instead of every 5½ minutes, from about 7 until 10 p.m.; and
- every 8 minutes, instead of every 6 minutes 15 seconds,after about 10 p.m.
If you pay your fare with cash, tokens or tickets, make sure you pick up a paper transfer when you pay, to change between subway trains and buses at St Clair West and St Clair stations.
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