Starting Monday, May 7, the TTC is closing the bus / streetcar loop at Main Street Station during construction to repair the structural pavement and the concrete bus platform on the south side of the station, including replacing the tactile warning plates and curb slopes for accessibility. The TTC is maintaining pedestrian access to the station entrance and the station remains open for subway service.
The project includes:
- rehabilitating the concrete and asphalt pavement in the bus loop;
- rehabilitating the concrete bus platform, including tactile walking-surface indicators; and
- replacing fencing throughout the loop.
The scope of work also includes:
Since the TTC is closing the loop, it’s also detouring or revising the paths for all buses and streetcars that usually operate through the station terminal:
- 20 Cliffside;
- 23 Dawes;
- 62 Mortimer;
- 64 Main;
- 87 Cosburn;
- 113 Danforth;
- 135 Gerrard;
- 306 Carlton overnight; and
- 506 Carlton.
Shuttle buses replace route 506 streetcars east of Broadview Avenue.
Construction at Main Street Station and the resulting TTC detours continue until September 1. Some construction activities in the terminal may also continue “until November”, meaning as late as until November 30.
Major construction activities include removing concrete and asphalt. Expect noise and dust. Construction crews work Mondays to Fridays from about 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m.
The TTC previously closed Main Street Station bus / streetcar loop from May to September 2018 to upgrade the streetcar infrastructure.
This year, the City of Toronto and the TTC have started a series of major construction projects that significantly impact transit services in the east end of the former Toronto city — between Victoria Park Avenue and the Don River.
The various projects include:
- Broadview Avenue between Danforth Avenue and Gerrard Street East — rehabilitating the sewer and replacing the streetcar tracks;
- Broadview Station — upgrading the bus and streetcar platforms;
- intersection of (lower) Gerrard Street East / Eastwood Road with Coxwell Avenue — replacing the water main and renewing the streetcar tracks;
- Main Street Station — repairing the pavement and the concrete bus platform on the south side of the station;
- Queen Street East just east of DeGrassi Street — upgrading the rail overpass as part of Metrolinx’s Ontario Line subway project.
- Queen Street East at the Don River — upgrading the bridge.
See local transit commentator Steve Munro’s recent posts for details on how all these projects together disrupt transit in the east end:
- “Construction on Broadview, Gerrard/Coxwell, Main Station and Queen East”, here;
- “Construction on Broadview, Gerrard/Coxwell, Main Station and Queen East (June 2023 Update)”, here;
- “Broadview Station Loop Expansion Deferred”, here;
- “Broadview Construction Update”, here;
- “Broadview Construction Part II”, here;
- “Yet Another Change to East-End Streetcar Services”, here.
506 Carlton
Upcoming water-main construction at the intersection of Coxwell Avenue with Eastwood Road / [lower] Gerrard Street East also affects service along this route. The TTC is detouring streetcars east of Broadview Avenue. Shuttle buses replace the cars between Main Street Station and Broadview.
Starting Sunday, May 7, westbound cars start their trips in Woodbine Loop — on the northeast corner of Kingston Road and Queen Street East — then proceed:
westward along Queen East;
northward** along Broadview Avenue to Gerrard Street East,
resuming their regular path westward along Gerrard East.Westbound cars skip their regular stops
- in Main Street Station terminal,
- on Main Street at (upper) Gerrard Street East,
- on (upper) Gerrard Street East at Norwood Road, across from Glenmount Park Road, at Golfview and Woodbine avenues and Kingsmount Park Road, across from Bowmore Road and Beaton Avenue and at Coxwell Avenue,
- on Coxwell Avenue at (lower) Gerrard Street East and
- on (lower) Gerrard Street East at Ashdale Avenue, Woodfield Road, Greenwood and Prust avenues, Leslie Street, Jones, Marjory, Pape, Carlaw and Logan avenues, across from DeGrassi Street and at Broadview Avenue.
Instead, westbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- in Woodbine Loop,
- on Queen Street East at Kingston and Lockwood roads, Coxwell Avenue, Woodfield Road, Greenwood and Alton avenues, Leslie Street, Jones, Brooklin, Pape, Carlaw and Logan avenues, beyond Booth Avenue and at Boulton and Broadview avenues and
- on Broadview Avenue at Dundas Street East, across from Mountstephen Street and at Gerrard Street East.
Shuttle buses replace the cars along the regular path 506 path east of Broadview Avenue.
Eastbound cars operate along their regular path to Gerrard Street East and Broadview Avenue, then detour:
southward along Broadview;
eastward along Queen Street East;
northeastward along Kingston Road; and then
eastward into Woodbine Loop,
ending their trips.Eastbound cars skip their regular stops
- on (lower) Gerrard Street East at DeGrassi Street, Logan, Carlaw, Pape, Marjorie and Jones avenues, Alton and Greenwood avenues, Woodfield Road, Ashdale and Coxwell avenues,
- on Coxwell Avenue at (upper) Gerrard Street East,
- on (upper) Gerrard Street East at Beaton Avenue, Bowmore and Kingsmount Park roads, Woodbine and Golfview avenues, Glenmount Park and Norwood roads and Main Street,
- on Main Street at Danforth Avenue and
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, eastbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Broadview Avenue at Mountstephen Street and Dundas and Queen streets east,
- on Queen Street East at 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 and Coxwell and Eastern avenues and
- in Woodbine Loop.
Shuttle buses replace the cars along the regular path 506 path east of Broadview Avenue. Eastbound streetcar passengers may transfer to eastbound buses on Broadview Avenue at Gerrard Street East.
“In mid-June”, during the next phase of construction at the intersection of [lower] Gerrard Street East / Eastwood Road with Coxwell Avenue, the TTC will extensively revise this routing.
306 Carlton overnight
Upcoming water-main construction at the intersection of Coxwell Avenue with Eastwood Road / [lower] Gerrard Street East also affects service along this route. Starting Monday, May 8, the TTC replaces streetcars with buses along the entire route.
Westbound buses start their trips in Victoria Park Station bus terminal, then proceed:
southward along Victoria Park Avenue; and then
eastward along Gerrard Street East to Main Street,
resuming the regular path for route 306 vehicles westward along Gerrard East.Westbound buses skip a regular path 306 stop
- on Main Street at Gerrard Street East.
Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Victoria Park Avenue at Denton and Danforth avenues, across from Wakehood Street and at Gerrard Street East and
- on Gerrard Street East at Dengate Road, across from Malvern Avenue and at Ted Reeve Drive and Main Street.
Eastbound buses reverse the westbound routing.
Eastbound buses skip a regular path 306 stop
- on Main Street at Danforth Avenue.
Instead, eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Gerrard Street East at Osborne and Malvern avenues and Scarborough Road and
- on Victoria Park Avenue beyond Gerrard Street East and at Danforth and Denton avenues.
“In mid-June”, during the next phase of construction at the intersection of [lower] Gerrard Street East / Eastwood Road with Coxwell Avenue, the TTC will extensively revise this routing.
506C Carlton shuttle buses
Starting Sunday, May 7, the TTC operates buses, instead of streetcars along the 506 Carlton route east of Broadview Avenue.
Westbound cars start their trips in Victoria Park Station bus terminal, then proceed:
southward along Victoria Park Avenue,
westward along (upper) Gerrard Street East;
southward along Coxwell Avenue;
westward along (lower) Gerrard Street East;
northward along Parliament Street;
eastward along Bloor Street East; and then
northward into Castle Frank Station bus terminal,
ending their trips.Westbound buses skip regular path 506 stops
- in Main Street Station terminal,
- on Main Street at Gerrard Street East.
Westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops
- in Victoria Park Station bus terminal,
- on Victoria Park Avenue at Denton and Danforth avenues, across from Wakehood Street and at Gerrard Street East,
- on Gerrard Street East at Dengate Road, across from Malvern Avenue and at Ted Reeve Drive, Main Street and Norwood Road, across from Glenmount Park Road, at Golfview and Woodbine avenues and Kingsmount Park Road, across from Bowmore Road and Beaton Avenue and at Coxwell Avenue,
- on Coxwell Avenue at (lower) Gerrard Street East and
- on (lower) Gerrard Street East at Ashdale Avenue, Woodfield Road, Greenwood and Prust avenues, Leslie Street, Jones, Marjory, Pape, Carlaw and Logan avenues, across from DeGrassi Street and at Broadview Avenue, St. Matthews Road, River, Sumach, Sackville and Parliament streets,
- on Parliament Street at Carlton and Winchester streets, beyond Wellesley Street East and across from St. James Avenue and at Bloor Street East and
- in Castle Frank Station bus terminal.
Westbound bus passengers may transfer to westbound streetcars on Gerrard Street East at Broadview Avenue.
Eastbound buses reverse the westbound routing.
Eastbound buses skip regular path 506 stops
- on Main Street at Danforth Avenue and
- in Main Street Station bus terminal.
Eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops
- in Castle Frank Station bus terminal,
- on Parliament Street beyond Howard Street, St. James Avenue and Wellesley Street East and at Winchester and Carlton Streets,
- on (lower) Gerrard Street East beyond Parliament Street (unofficial), at Sackville, Sumach, River and Blackburn streets, Broadview Avenue, DeGrassi Street, Logan, Carlaw, Pape, Marjory and Jones avenues, Leslie Street, Alton and Greenwood avenues.
“In mid-June”, during the next phase of construction at the intersection of [lower] Gerrard Street East / Eastwood Road with Coxwell Avenue, the TTC will extensively revise this routing.
20 Cliffside
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, buses operate to and from Victoria Park Station terminal, instead of Main Street Station terminal.
Westbound buses operate along their regular path to Danforth and Victoria Park avenues, then detour:
northward along Victoria Park;
eastward along Denton Avenue; and then
northward into Victoria Park Station bus terminal,
ending their regular stops.Westbound skip their regular stops
- on Danforth Avenue at Sibley Avenue, beyond Dawes Road and beside #2666 Danforth and
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Victoria Park Avenue at Denton Avenue and
- in Victoria Park Station bus terminal.
Eastbound buses start their trips in Victoria Park Station bus terminal, then proceed:
southward along Victoria Park Avenue to Danforth Avenue,
resuming their regular path eastward along Danforth.Eastbound buses skip their regular stops
- in Main Street Station terminal,
- on Danforth Avenue beyond Main Street, beside #2615 Danforth, across from Sibley Avenue and at Victoria Park Avenue.
Instead, eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- in Victoria Park Station bus terminal and
- on Victoria Park Avenue at Denton Avenue.
87 Cosburn
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, westbound buses start their trips on the east side of Main Street, just north of Main Street Station, then proceed:
along their regular path northward along Main.
Westbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, westbound buses pick up passengers at a temporary stop
- on Main Street just north of Main Street Station.
Eastbound buses operate along their regular path to Main Street across from Main Street Station, then proceed:
southward along Main Street to Danforth Avenue,
ending their trips.Eastbound buses skip their regular stops
- in Main Street Station bus terminal.
Instead, eastbound buses drop off passengers at a temporary stop
- on Main Street at Danforth Avenue.
During construction in Main Street Station bus terminal, the TTC interlines buses along route 87 with buses along the 64 Main route.
113 Danforth
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, westbound buses operate along their regular path to Danforth Avenue and Main Street, then detour:
southward along Main to just south of Danforth,
ending their trips.Westbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, westbound buses drop off passengers at a temporary stop
- on Main Street beyond Danforth Avenue.
Eastbound buses start their trips on Main Street just south of Danforth Avenue, then proceed:
along their regular path eastward along Danforth.
Eastbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, eastbound buses pick up passengers at a temporary stop
- on Danforth Avenue at Main Street.
During construction in Main Street Station bus terminal, the TTC interlines buses along route 113 with buses along the 135 Gerrard route.
23 Dawes
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, southbound buses operate along their regular path to Main Street at Main Street Station, then proceed:
northward along Main;
eastward along Lumsden Avenue; and then
southward along Eastdale Avenue to across from Goodwood Park Crescent,
ending their trips.Southbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station bus terminal.
Instead, southbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Main Street beyond Main Street Station and at Doncaster and Lumsden (unofficial) avenues,
- on Lumsden Avenue beyond Barrington Avenue and
- on Eastdale Avenue across from Goodwood Park Crescent.
Northbound buses start their trips on Eastdale Avenue across from Goodwood Park Crescent, then proceed:
southward along Eastdale;
westward along Secord Avenue,
southward along Barrington Avenue;
westward along Doncaster Avenue; and then
southward along Main Street to across from Main Street Station,
resuming their regular path southward along Main.Northbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, northbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Eastdale Avenue across from Goodwood Park Crescent and at Secord Avenue,
- on Secord Avenue at Barrington Avenue and
- on Doncaster Avenue at Main Street.
135 Gerrard
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, westbound buses operate along their regular path to Main Street at Danforth Avenue,
ending their trips.Westbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, westbound buses drop off passengers at a temporary stop
- on Danforth Avenue at Main Street.
Eastbound buses start their trips on Main Street just south of Danforth Avenue, then proceed:
along their regular path southward along Main.
Eastbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, eastbound buses pick up passengers at a temporary stop
- on Danforth Avenue beyond Main Street.
During construction in Main Street Station bus terminal, the TTC interlines buses along route 135 with buses along the 113 Danforth route.
64 Main
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, southbound buses start their trips on Main Street just north of Danforth Avenue, then proceed:
along their regular path southward along Main.
Southbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, southbound buses pick up passengers at a temporary stop
- on Danforth Avenue at Main Street.
Northbound buses operate along their regular path to Main Street at Danforth Avenue,
ending their trips.Southbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, southbound buses drop off passengers at their regular stop
- on Danforth Avenue at Main Street.
During construction in Main Street Station bus terminal, the TTC interlines buses along route 64 with buses along the 87 Cosburn route.
62 Mortimer
From Sunday, May 7 until Friday, September 1, westbound buses start their trips in Victoria Park Station bus terminal, then proceed:
southward along Victoria Park Avenue;
westward along Danforth Avenue; and then
northward along Main Street to Main Street Station,
resuming their regular path northward along Main.Westbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, westbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- in Victoria Park Station bus terminal,
- on Victoria Park Avenue at Denton and Danforth avenues,
- on Danforth Avenue at Sibley Avenue, beyond Dawes Road and beside #2666 Danforth and
- on Main Street beyond Main Street Station.
Eastbound buses operate along their regular path to Main Street across from Main Street Station, then proceed:
southward along Main;
eastward along Danforth Avenue;
northward along Victoria Park Avenue;
eastward along Denton Avenue; and then
northward into Victoria Park Station bus terminal,
ending their trips.Eastbound buses skip their regular stop
- in Main Street Station terminal.
Instead, eastbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at temporary stops
- on Danforth Avenue beyond Main Street (unofficial), beside #2615 Danforth and across from Sibley Avenue,
- on Victoria Park Avenue beyond Danforth Avenue (unofficial) and at Denton Avenue and
- in Victoria Park Station bus terminal.
Transit agencies often interline buses along two or more routes with a common terminal to save resources — human resources (drivers) and physical resources (buses). For example, during construction at Main Street Station, when an eastbound bus along the 87 Cosburn route arrives at Main Street and Danforth Avenue, it completes a round trip along the 64 Main route before continuing westward along route 87.