Update — Monday, January 20, 2025, 7:34 a.m.: Construction has ended and streetcars resumed regular service today.
*Update — Saturday, November 23, 4:14 p.m.: Construction resumes and the TTC again detours streetcars, starting Sunday, November 17.
Update — Saturday, October 5, 4:59 p.m.: Starting Monday, October 6, the TTC splits route 510 service into the 510C (Spadina Stn - King) and 510D (Spadina Stn - Exhibition) branches.
Update — Friday, November 11, 12:09 p.m.: The TTC is temporarily restoring streetcar service along all of the 509 Harbourfront route between Exhibition Loop and Union Station from Friday, November 1 until Saturday, November 23.
As part of its network-wide program, the TTC is modernizing its streetcar infrastructure
- on Fleet Street between Strachan Avenue and Bathurst Street and
- on Queens Quay West between Bathurst and Bay streets.
The transit agency says that this project is “vital to provide streetcar service for the long-term future.” In a news release, it explains that the work zone spans almost three kilometres between Strachan Avenue and the Bay streetcar tunnel. The project involves replacing and reconfiguring overhead wires and upgrading the underground power systems on the corridor.
The TTC is completing the nearly four-month project in phases, by changing streetcar service and using buses to replace the cars. By early next year, streetcars along Fleet and Queens Quay will use a better pantograph overhead contact system that is fully compatible with “the TTC’s modern and growing fleet, enhancing the reliability of service along the waterfront. This work is part of a larger power upgrade program that includes recent projects on Spadina and St. Clair avenues.”
During phase 1, which started Tuesday, September 3, crews worked on Queens Quay West between Lower Spadina Avenue and the tunnel to upgrade the overhead and complete underground work. During this phase, the TTC also performed critical inspections and replaced aging infrastructure to support future service.
During phase 2, starting Sunday, October 6, crews work
- on Queens Quay West between Bathurst Street and Lower Spadina Avenue and
- on Bathurst Street between Fleet Street and Queens Quay West.
Also starting October 6, the TTC is restoring partial streetcar service along this route:
- 509 Harbourfront.
Route 509 cars operate only between Spadina / Queens Quay Loop and Union Station.
The TTC has also started a project to upgrade the overhead wiring on sections of the Spadina Avenue streetcar right-of-way between Spadina Station and Queens Quay West. It will also renew the tracks in the Spadina Station loop and complete early work to allow it to expand the platform and increase station capacity in the future. Buses have replaced streetcars along the 310 Spadina overnight and 510 Spadina routes since June 23 to accommodate that project.
Starting October 6, the TTC is extending buses along this route to replace route 509 cars between Exhibition Loop and Lower Spadina Avenue:
- 510 Spadina.
Buses continue to replace streetcars along the entire path of the 310 Spadina overnight route.
Phase 2 construction on Queens Quay West and Bathurst Street and the resulting TTC service changes continue “until mid-November”, meaning as late as until November 16.
509 Harbourfront
Starting Sunday, October 6, streetcars resume their regular path as far westward as Spadina / Queens Quay Loop.
Eastbound cars continue to skip their regular stops
- in Exhibition Loop,
- on Manitoba Drive at Strachan Avenue,
- on Fleet Street beyond Fort York Boulevard, across from Bastion Street and at Bathurst Street and
- on Queens Quay West beyond Bathurst Street and Dan Leckie Way.
Instead, eastbound cars resume dropping off or picking up passengers at their regular stops
- in Spadina / Queens Quay Loop,
- on Queens Quay West beyond Lower Spadina Avenue and Rees Street and beside the Harbourfron Centre and
- in the Bay streetcar tunnel:
- at Queens Quay Station and
- at Union Station.
Buses replace the cars west of Lower Spadina Avenue.
510 Spadina
Starting Sunday, October 6, the TTC extends the path so that buses to operate to and from Exhibition Loop. Buses along route 510 replace streetcars along the 509 Harbourfront route west of Lower Spadina Avenue. (Route 510 buses have also replaced streetcars along during construction on the Spadina corridor since June 23.)
Southbound buses operate along their regular path to Lower Spadina Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard West, then proceed:
southward along Lower Spadina;
westward along Queens Quay West;
northward along Bathurst Street;
west- and southward along Fort York Boulevard;
westward along Lake Shore Boulevard West and Princes’ Boulevard;
northward along Strachan Avenue; and then
westward along Manitoba Drive and the Exhibition Loop access road into Exhibition Loop,
ending their trips.Southbound buses no longer loop along Lake Shore West and Dan Leckie Way. And, they no longer drop off passengers at the stop
- on Dan Leckie Way at Queens Quay West.
Instead, southbound cars drop off or pick up passengers at stops
- on Queens Quay West at Dan Leckie Way and Bathurst Street,
- on Bathurst Street across from Fleet Street,
- on Fort York Boulevard beyond Bathurst Street, across from Gzowski Street and at Fleet Street,
- on Princes’ Boulevard at Strachan Avenue,
- on Manitoba Drive beyond Strachan Avenue and
- in Exhibition Loop.
Northbound buses start their trips in Exhibition Loop, then proceed:
westward along the Exhibition Loop access road, Manitoba Drive and Fleet Street;
north- and westward along Fort York Boulevard;
southward along Bathurst Street; and then
westward along Queens Quay West to Dan Leckie Way,
resuming their regular path westward Queens Quay.Northbound buses no longer pick up passengers at the stop
- on Dan Leckie Way at Queens Quay West.
Instead, northbound buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops
- in Exhibition Loop,
- on Manitoba Drive at Strachan Avenue,
- on Fleet Street at Fort York Boulevard,
- on Fort York Boulevard beyond Bastion and Iannuzzi streets and
- on Bathurst Street at Fleet Street and Queens Quay West.
The TTC is also making more changes to bus service along the Spadina corridor.
Subscribe to our news feed: (