Update — Friday, July 30, 1:20 p.m.: @TTCnotices reports that Route 501L / 501P buses have resumed their former path, operating between Long Branch or Humber and Gerrard Street East / Broadview Avenue. Route 501 buses now operate between McCaul and Neville Park loops.
As part of TTC’s system-wide program of upgrading the overhead wiring to allow full pantograph operation for its new low-floor Toronto Flexity streetcars, this summer, crews are replacing the overhead for the 301 / 501 Queen route. This project coincides with projects to renew the tracks
- at the intersection of Queen Street West / King Street West / The Queensway / Roncesvalles Avenue; and
- on Queen Street West between Fennings and Bay Streets.
Monday, July 26, the TTC and its contractor start upgrading the overhead and repairing tracks on
- Queen Street East between Woodbine Avenue and Leslie Street.
The project includes:
- upgrading rail at the intersections of Queen East with Coxwell Avenue, Connaught Avenue and Vancouver Street;
- installing new span-support cables and hardware fittings between Woodbine and east of Leslie.
The TTC is replacing streetcars with buses during this project. Buses operate along these routes:
- 301 Queen / Long Branch overnight shuttle buses;
- 501L Queen / Long Branch shuttle buses;
- 501P Queen / Humber shuttle buses;
- 503 Kingston Rd shuttle buses.
During this project, the TTC is extending the path of buses along the 301 / 501L / 501P routes. The new temporary terminal is Neville Park Loop, instead of Gerrard Street East beyond Broadview Avenue. Route 503 buses operate only between Bingham Loop and Coxwell Avenue.
Overhead upgrades and track repairs — and the resulting TTC detours — continue until August 5.
The TTC is also repairing tracks during the same time period on Queen East east of Kingston Road.
While crews mostly work in the track area, the overhead crews also require access to sidewalk poles. This activity does not effect hydro power to nearby communities. The work zone restricts traffic lanes. A “paid-duty” Toronto Police Service is on site to help manage traffic movement through work zone. The City of Toronto may prohibit parking on the south side of the street near the work zone, while crews are working.
Crews will work around outdoor restaurant patio hours as best as possible. They may have to work early mornings or late evenings if the work zone is directly beside a patio to reduce the impact to restaurants. They mostly work from 9 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. daily.
The TTC says, “Typically, rail repairs are conducted around-the-clock. Efforts are made to complete breaking / removal of concrete to expose the rail by 11 p.m. Installation of the new rail is generally overnight.”
Overhead work of this nature is generally not very noisy, but some noise is unavoidable. Nearby residents may hear the backup beepers noise from reversing trucks. The crew uses three to four work trucks to complete this work, and to help facilitate physical distancing.
501L Queen / Long Branch shuttle buses
501P Queen / Humber shuttle buses
301 Queen / Long Branch overnight shuttle buses
From 5 a.m. Monday, July 26 until 4 a.m. Thursday, August 5, westbound buses start their trips in Neville Park Loop, then proceed:
eastward along Queen Street East to River Street,
resuming their regular route westward along Queen East.Westbound buses skip their regular stops
- on Gerrard Street East beyond Broadview Avenue;
- on Gerrard Street East at St. Matthews Road;
- on River Street beyond Gerrard Street East and at Dundas and Queen Streets East.
Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- in Neville Park Loop,
- on Queen Street East at Neville Park Boulevard, Silver Birch and Beech Avenues, Glen Manor Drive, Wineva, Bellefair, Elmer and Woodbine Avenues, Lockwood and Kingston Roads, Coxwell Avenue, Woodfield Road, Greenwood and Alton Avenues, Leslie Street, Jones, Brooklyn, Pape, Carlaw and Logan Avenues, beyond Booth Avenue and at Boulton and Broadview Avenues and Carroll and River Streets.
Eastbound buses operate along their regular route to Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue, then detour:
eastward along Queen East; and then
southward into Neville Park Loop,
ending their trips.Eastbound buses skip their regular stops
- on Broadview Avenue beyond Queen Street East, at Dundas Street East and across from Mountstephen Street and
- on Gerrard Street East beyond Broadview Avenue.
Instead, eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Queen Street East at Broadview Avenue, Saulter Street, Empire, Logan, Carlaw, Pape and Caroline Avenues, across from Jones Avenue, at Leslie Street, across from Alton and Greenwood Avenues, at Woodfield Road, Coxwell, Eastern, Sarah Ashbridge and Woodbine Avenues, across from Elmer and Bellefair Avenues and at Wineva Avenue, Glen Manor Drive, Beech and Silver Birch Avenues and Neville Park Boulevard and
- in Neville Park Loop.
503 Kingston Rd shuttle bus
Mondays to Fridays before about 7 p.m. (except holidays) and from Monday, July 26 until Wednesday, August 4, buses replace streetcars along the route as far west as Coxwell Avenue.
Westbound buses operate along the regular path for route 503 to Kingston Road and Coxwell Avenue, then detour:
south- and eastward along Eastern Avenue; and then
northward along Coxwell Avenue to just beyond Eastern,
ending their trips.Westbound buses skip regular route 503 stops
- on Queen Street East at Coxwell Avenue, Woodfield Road, Greenwood and Alton Avenues, Leslie Street, Jones, Brooklyn, Pape, Carlaw and Logan Avenues, beyond Booth Avenue and at Boulton and Broadview Avenues and Carroll Street,
- on King Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville, Ontario and Sherbourne Streets and beyond Jarvis and Church Streets,
- on King Street West beyond Yonge and Bay Streets, University Avenue and John and Peter Streets,
- on Spadina Avenue beyond King Street West and
- on Charlotte Street at Oxley Street.
Instead, westbound buses drop off passengers at temporary stops
- on Eastern Avenue beyond Queen Street East and
- on Coxwell Avenue beyond Eastern Avenue.
Eastbound buses start their trips on Coxwell Avenue beyond Eastern Avenue, then proceed:
northward along Coxwell to Queen Street East,
resuming their regular route eastward along Queen East.Eastbound buses skip regular route 503 stops
- on Charlotte Street at Oxley Street,
- on King Street West beyond Blue Jays Way, John Street, University Avenue and Bay Street,
- on King Street East beyond Yonge, Church and Jarvis Streets, at Sherbourne Street, across from Ontario Street and at Parliament, Sackville, Sumach and Lower River Streets,
- on Queen Street West across from Carroll Street and at Broadview Avenue, Saulter Street, Empire, Logan, Carlaw, Pape and Caroline Avenues, across from Jones Avenue, at Leslie Street, across from Alton and Greenwood Avenues and at Woodfield Road and Coxwell Avenue.
Instead, eastbound buses pick up passengers at a temporary stop
- on Coxwell Avenue beyond Eastern Avenue.
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