Last Friday, February 9, Mayor Olivia Chow updated Torontonians about the success of recent measures that the City has introduced to speed up streetcars along the King Street Priority Corridor.

The City implemented the new measures as recently as December 2023 “to improve traffic flow and safety for all road users.” In a news release, the City explains that the strategies include assigning traffic agents to the intersections of King with University Avenue and York, Bay, Yonge, Church and Jarvis streets Mondays to Fridays during rush hours.

According to the release,

“When Traffic Agents are present along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, streetcar travel times between University Avenue and Jarvis Street are approximately 28-44 minutes faster (45-65 minutes total journey time reduced to 17-21 minutes total journey time).

“Traffic Agents are empowered to manage traffic at intersections by dynamically directing road users in real-time, enforcing transit priority and restricting motor traffic at most intersections along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, with exceptions for local access. Their actions are further supported by Toronto Police Service officers who work with Traffic Agents to enforce traffic violations at intersections along King Street.

“The City will continue to deploy Traffic Agents along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor as needed to manage evolving traffic demands, reduce congestion and ensure safety for all road users.”

The City says that it’s also introduced other “traffic-management strategies” on King Street, including:

• modifying the timing of traffic signals to give streetcars more time to travel through intersections;
• adding dedicated transit signals to reduce the likelihood of motorists accidentally making an illegal movement, such as running a red light during a green transit signal and improving signage and road markings.
• installing temporary TTC platforms (by mid-2024) at 20 locations on King. (The City claims that these platforms will increase safety and help transit riders enter and exit streetcars more easily.)

The TTC’s 504 King route is the TTC’s busiest surface transit route, moving more than 72,000 riders on average Mondays to Fridays. The King Street Transit Priority Corridor stretches between Bathurst Street and Jarvis Street and gives priority to street cars and restricts motor traffic at most intersections, with exceptions for local access.