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King East / Sumach track and switch replacement project starts August 15; TTC already detouring streetcars, buses



Monday, August 15, the TTC starts a project to replace the rails and switches at

  • the intersection of King Street East with Sumach Street.

Crews are replacing the east- and westbound trailing switches and several sections of curved rail. Crews mostly work to

  • excavate to remove old concrete rail and switches;
  • install new rail and switches; and
  • place new concrete.

Since Sunday, July 31, the TTC has been detouring streetcars along these routes, to prepare passengers for this construction project:

Buses continue to replace overnight streetcar service, so the TTC is also detouring buses along this route during the construction:

  • 304 King overnight.

Shuttle buses replace streetcar service to and from the Distillery District.

503 KingstonRd - King and Sumach 220731-MAP.jpg

504 King and Sumach 220731-MAP.jpg


During construction, the work zone limits vehicles from passing through the intersection during two phases of the project.

  • Phase 1 — Starting Monday, August 15 for “2 weeks”, meaning as late as until August 28.
  • Phase 2 — “During the remainder of construction”, meaning from about Monday, August 29 until Saturday, September 3.

Phase 1
  • No east-west traffic on King Street East through the King East / Sumach intersection.
  • No north-south traffic on Sumach Street through the intersection.
  • Local traffic can only flow along King East between Percy Street and St. Lawrence Street to the edges of the work zone.
  • Motorists driving southward along Sumach Street from Queen Street can only turn south-to-east to drive eastward along King Street East.
  • Local access only on Sumach north of Eastern Avenue to the edge of the work zone.
  • Crews will slightly shift north-south pedestrian crossings on King Street East during construction.
  • During construction, the work zone blocks the east-west crosswalk on the south side of the intersection closed for safety. You must cross to the north side to use the east-west crosswalk.

2022 - 08-15 King - Sumach - phase 1.jpg


Phase 2
  • Motorists can drive westward through the King East / Sumach intersection.
  • Motorists driving southward on Sumach Street from Queen Street can only turn south-to-west to drive westward along King Street East.
  • Local access only on Sumach north of Eastern Avenue to the edge of the work zone.
  • Crews will slightly shift north-south pedestrian crossings on King Street East during construction.
  • During construction, the work zone blocks the east-west crosswalk on the south side of the intersection closed for safety. You must cross to the north side to use the east-west crosswalk.

2022 - 08-15 King - Sumach - phase 2.jpg


Crews set up the work zone and traffic controls overnight Sunday, August 14 / Monday, August 15. By 7 a.m. Monday, crews start cutting into the concrete, excavating concrete and removing the old rail. The TTC explains that, “While most work typically ends at 11 p.m., work of this nature requires periods of around-the-clock work to ensure quality installation of new rail and concrete.”

When crews install the new rail, they’ll also cut, weld and grind the rail.

Finally, they pour concrete in the track area and set it to cure.


TTC crews deliver two rail panels to the area on flatbed trailers overnight Friday, August 12. For a short period of time, the TTC stores these panels in the centre lane of King East just west and east of the intersection. They will remove the flatbed trailers from the site as the project progresses.


504 King

Due to the track construction project, the TTC is temporarily revising the path for streetcars along the route. It’s also operating all cars along a single branch between Broadview Station and Dufferin Gate Loop.

From Sunday, July 31 until Saturday, September 3, westbound cars operate along their regular route to Queen and King streets east, then proceed:

westward along Queen East; and then
southward along Parliament Street to King East,
resuming their regular route westward along King.

Westbound cars skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament streets.

Instead, westbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Queen Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament streets and
  • on Parliament Street at Richmond, Adelaide and King streets east.

Shuttle buses replace the cars on Cherry and Sumach streets between Distillery Loop and King East and on King between Sumach and Parliament streets.

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Eastbound cars reverse the westbound detour routing.

Eastbound cars skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at Sackville, Sumach and Lower River streets.

Instead, eastbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Parliament Street at Richmond and Queen streets east and
  • on Queen Street East at Sackville, Sumach and River streets.

Shuttle buses replace the cars on King between Parliament and Sumach streets and on Sumach and Cherry streets between King East and Distillery Loop.

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304 King overnight

Due to the track construction project, the TTC is temporarily revising the path for buses along the route.

From Monday, August 1 until Saturday, September 3, westbound buses operate along their regular route to Queen and King streets East, then detour:

westward along Queen East; and then
southward along Parliament Street to King East,
resuming their regular route westward along King.

Westbound buses skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament Streets.

Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Queen Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament Streets and
  • on Parliament Street at Richmond, Adelaide and King streets East.

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Eastbound buses reverse the westbound detour routing.

Eastbound buses skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at Sackville, Sumach and Lower River Streets.

Instead, eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Parliament Street at Adelaide and Queen streets East and
  • on Queen Street East at Sackville, Sumach and River streets.

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504A / 506 King / Carlton shuttle bus

The TTC is starting projects to upgrade the tracks at two sites:

  • the intersection of Carlton Street with Church Street; and
  • the intersection of King Street East with Sumach Street.

It’s detouring streetcars along these routes during the projects:

  • 306 Carlton overnight;
  • 503 Kingston Rd;
  • 504 King; and
  • 506 Carlton.

It’s also detouring buses along this route:

It’s introducing this temporary shuttle-bus route to replace service along all routes near the construction zones during the projects.

Starting Sunday, July 31, westbound buses start their trips on Mill Street west of Cherry Street, then proceed:

westward along Mill;
northward along Parliament Street;
westward along Carlton Street;
northward along Jarvis Street;
westward along Wellesley Street East;
southward along Yonge Street;
westward along College Street;
northward along Spadina Avenue, Spadina Crescent, Spadina Avenue and Spadina Road; and then
eastward into Spadina Station bus terminal,
ending their trips.

Westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops

  • on Mill Street beyond Cherry Street and at Trinity and Parliament streets,
  • on Parliament Street at King, Richmond and Queen streets East, Shuter Street, Dundas Street East, Oak Street, Gerrard Street East and Carlton Street,
  • on Carlton Street at Ontario, Sherbourne and Jarvis streets,
  • on Wellesley Street East at Church and Yonge streets,
  • on Yonge Street at Grosvenor and College streets,
  • on College Street at Bay and Elizabeth streets, University Avenue, across from McCaul Street and at St. George Street and Spadina Avenue and
  • on Spadina Avenue beyond College Street, at Willcocks Street, beyond Harbord Street, at Sussex Avenue and
  • in Spadina Station bus terminal.

Westbound bus passengers can transfer to westbound streetcars along the 503 Kingston Rd and 504 King routes on Parliament Street at King Street East. You can transfer to westbound cars along the 506 Carlton route at stops on College Street between Bay Street and Spadina Avenue.

506-306_Carlton-ReplacementBuses_220731-MAP.jpg

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Eastbound buses start their trips southbound in Spadina Station bus terminal, then proceed:

southward along Spadina Road, Spadina Avenue, Spadina Crescent and Spadina Avenue;
eastward along College Street;
northward along Yonge Street;
eastward along Wellesley Street East;
southward along Jarvis Street;
eastward along Carlton Street;
southward along Parliament Street;
eastward along Front Street East;
southward along Cherry Street; and then
westward along Mill Street to just west of Cherry,
ending their trips.

Eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops

  • in Spadina Station bus terminal,
  • on Spadina Avenue beyond Sussex Avenue and Harbord Street and at Willcocks Street,
  • on College Street at Beverley and McCaul streets, University Avenue and Elizabeth, Bay and Yonge streets,
  • on Yonge Street at Alexander Street and Wellesley Street East,
  • on Wellesley Street East at Church and Jarvis streets,
  • on Carlton Street at Sherbourne, Ontario and Parliament streets,
  • on Parliament Street at Gerrard Street East, across from Oak Street and at Dundas Street East, Shuter Street and Queen, Richmond, Adelaide and King streets East,
  • on Front Street East at Cherry Street and
  • on Mill Street beyond Cherry Street.

Eastbound bus passengers can transfer to eastbound streetcars along the 503 Kingston Rd and 504 King routes on Parliament Street at Queen Street East.

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Starting Sunday, July 31, buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops on the route:

  • every 15 minutes Saturdays, Sundays and holidays before about 8 a.m.;
  • every 12 minutes from about 8 a.m. until noon;
  • every 10 minutes from about noon until 7 p.m.;
  • every 12 minutes from about 7 until 10 p.m.; and
  • every 15 minutes after about 10 p.m.

Starting Tuesday, August 2, buses serve passengers at stops

  • every 10 minutes Mondays to Fridays during morning rush hours;
  • every 12 minutes from about 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.;
  • every 10 minutes during afternoon rush hours;
  • every 12 minutes from about 7 until 10 p.m.; and
  • every 15 minutes after about 10 p.m.

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503 Kingston Rd

Due to track construction at the intersection of King Street West with Sumach Street, the TTC is temporarily revising the path for streetcars along the route.

From Tuesday, August 2 until Friday, September 2, westbound cars operate along their regular route to Queen and King streets east, then proceed:

westward along Queen East; and then
southward along Parliament Street to King East,
resuming their regular route westward along King.

Westbound cars skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament streets.

Instead, westbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Queen Street East at River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament streets and
  • on Parliament Street at Richmond, Adelaide and King streets east.

Shuttle buses replace the cars on King between Queen East and Parliament.

Eastbound cars reverse the westbound detour routing.

Eastbound cars skip their regular stops

  • on King Street East at Sackville, Sumach and Lower River streets.

Instead, eastbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops

  • on Parliament Street at Adelaide and Queen streets east and
  • on Queen Street East at Sackville, Sumach and River streets.

Shuttle buses replace the cars on King between Parliament and Queen East.

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