Transit Toronto

As part of its program to maintain the streetcar tracks in a state of good repair, TTC crews are grinding the rail in a number of sections of the track network that have developed rail roughness. According to the TTC, grinding improves the condition and extends the life of the rail and allows streetcars to operate more smoothly through those areas.

From 9 p.m. Tuesday, October 20 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, October 21, crews are grinding the rail

• on Lake Shore Boulevard West between 22nd Street and Kipling Avenue.

The transit agency is also detouring streetcars along these routes to accommodate the activity:

• 301 Queen overnight; and
• 501 Queen.

Shuttle buses replace the cars west of Kipling Avenue.

The slow-moving rail-grinding unit operates from about 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Crews also use a street sweeper to clean the track area after grinding. Expect noise from both machines.

Crews only work in the track area. Toronto Police Services officers will be on-site to help keep traffic flowing through intersections and around the work zone.

GO Transit is closing the elevator connecting the train platform to the pedestrian bridge Wednesday, October 21. If you need an elevator, use the elevator connecting the west side of the platform to the west tunnel.

Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22, GO is closing the elevator connecting the parking garage to the pedestrian bridge. Use the stairs to get to the pedestrian bridge. If you need an elevator, use the elevator at the west tunnel to get to the train platform.

The TTC is closing Line 1 Yonge - University between Sheppard - Yonge and Eglinton stations earlier than usually Monday, October 19 until Thursday, October 22. Line 1 subway trains operate only between Finch and Sheppard - Yonge stations and between Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and Eglinton stations after 11 p.m. those evenings.

Shuttle buses partially replace subway service. The buses drop off or pick up passengers at stops near each station on the closed section of the line. TTC staff are available in each to station to direct you to the shuttle-bus boarding and offloading locations.

(Or, consider a shuttle-bus alternative.)

Most stations on this section of Line 1 remain open, so you can buy fares or connect to TTC buses and Line 4 Sheppard subway trains. Note that the TTC is temporarily closing exits / entrances at two stations:

• At York Mills Station, it is temporarily closing the Old York Mills Road entrance / exit. Enter or exit the station in the York Mills Centre or Yonge Corporate Centre or at the northwest corner of Yonge Street and Wilson Avenue.
• At Lawrence Station, it’s closing the entrances / exits at Bedford Park and Ranleigh Avenues. Enter or exit the station on Yonge Street at Lawrence Avenues East and West.

Although shuttle buses are accessible, Wheel-Trans is also available from any station throughout the closure area. Ask any TTC staff member for more information about Wheel-Trans service and frequency.

While this section of Line 1 is closed, TTC crews are upgrading the tunnel and installing the automatic train control (ATC) signalling system in the subway corridor.

The TTC says that “The existing signals, relays, wiring and cabling equipment, much of which is over 60 years old, need replacing as their failure significantly impacts service. Once Automatic Train Control is fully installed and operational, customers will see improved frequency of subway service, less crowding and greater reliability of the signal system.”

According to a TTC news release, “While the TTC does most subway maintenance at the conclusion of service each night, it continues to require weekend and early weeknight closures to complete critical infrastructure and ATC upgrades.”

The TTC is closing this section of Line 1 once more in October:

• Monday, October 26 until Thursday, October 29 — Finch to Eglinton — close early — ATC, tunnel upgrades.

From 12:01 until 5 a.m. Tuesday, October 20, Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22, the TTC is closing the streetcar tunnel at Spadina Station, so that crews can maintain and inspect the tracks and overhead wiring.

The TTC is detouring streetcars along these routes, while the tunnel is closed:

• 310 Spadina overnight; and
• 510 Spadina.

Shuttle buses replace the cars north of King Street West.

Nearby residents can expect noise from TTC overhead vehicles when they’re backing up on the ramp that leads to the Spadina Station streetcar tunnel.

As part of its program to maintain the streetcar tracks in a state of good repair, TTC crews are grinding the rail in a number of sections of the track network that have developed rail roughness. According to the TTC, grinding improves the condition and extends the life of the rail and allows streetcars to operate more smoothly through those areas.

From 9 p.m. Monday, October 19 until 5 a.m. Tuesday, October 20, crews are grinding the rail

• on Roncesvalles Avenue between Westminster and Garden Avenues.

The transit agency is also detouring streetcars along these routes to accommodate the activity:

• 304 King overnight; and
• 504A King.

Shuttle buses replace the cars between Dundas West Station and Queen Street West / The Queensway.

The slow-moving rail-grinding unit operates from about 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Crews also use a street sweeper to clean the track area after grinding. Expect noise from both machines.

Crews only work in the track area. Toronto Police Services officers will be on-site to help keep traffic flowing through intersections and around the work zone.

Oakville Transit is restoring service along the 1 Trafalgar route, starting Monday, October 19. The transit agency cancelled the route in March 2019. Buses operate hourly Mondays to Fridays only.

OT is also increasing service along the 10 West Industrial route today.

^ Image: Metrolinx

Metrolinx continues to upgrade Milliken GO Station, updating amenities, building an vehicle underpass and pedestrian bridge on Steeles Avenue East, and enhancing accessibility, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Starting Monday, October 5, GO Transit is opening a new temporary west platform at the station. It’s closing the current west platform for construction. A new entrance safely leads you to your new platform. Fencing along this new pathway maintains your safety during construction.

This temporary platform allows construction on the west platform and stair structures at the and excavation and utility works under the rail bridge on Steeles Avenue East to proceed.

^ Click to enlarge

Travelling to and from Milliken GO Station:

Construction affects how you board and exit your train. Check the graphic below to make sure you’re sitting in the correct car for your stop.

Listen to the announcements on your train. Not all cars will open their doors at Milliken. Ask your customer service ambassador for help. Look for signage to show you where to stand and remember to spread out along the platform.

Since early June Metrolinx and its contractors have been building the new bridges at Steeles Avenue East, just north of the station. The City of Toronto and Metrolinx have started working together to lower Steeles East between Old Kennedy Road / Silver Star Boulevard and Redlea Avenue, so that road users can move freely below, while GO trains and passengers get to their destination above along a new track. The project also includes a pedestrian bridge across Steeles to help passengers access Milliken GO Station.

The contractors have built a temporary diversion road on the north side of Steeles East that maintains east- and westbound traffic and access to Milliken GO Station and the surrounding area.

The temporary detour road will be in place “until late 2021” (or until December 31, 2021). Widening Steeles Avenue will improve how buses drop off or pick passengers at nearby Milliken GO Station. The City and Metrolinx expect to complete construction of the new expanded roadway and rail and pedestrian bridge “by mid-2022” (meaning construction likely continues until June 30, 2022.)

^ The temporary diversion road for traffic on Steeles Avenue East between Old Kennedy Road / Silver Star Boulevard and Redlea Avenue. Image: Metrolinx.

By the end of 2021, Milliken GO station will include:

• a renovated platform beside the current track;
• a new second track and platform;
• two new pedestrian tunnels with elevators;
• canopies and shelters on the platforms to protect you from the elements;
• a canopy-covered walkway to Steeles Avenue East; and
• a pedestrian bridge across Steeles East that connects to both platforms.

^ Image: Metrolinx

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Stouffville line, as part of their GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

^ Image: Metrolinx

Metrolinx continues working to enhance the safety and accessibility of Pickering GO Station, as part of the GO Expansion Program.

Starting Monday, October 19, GO Transit is closing the three elevators in the east tunnel at the station, while contractors upgrade the equipment.

If you need elevators to get to the platform, use the elevators at the pedestrian bridge, near the east end of both platforms. You can access these elevators from both the north and south parking lots.

GO says, “The elevators are getting close to the end of their lifespan and these upgrades will make them more efficient and reliable. We [decided] to repair all three elevators at the same time, as repairing them one at a time would still not allow the platforms to be completely accessible. It would also increase the duration of construction significantly. We are committed to getting the work done quickly and efficiently, with as few disruptions to passengers as possible.”

^ Click to enlarge.

Metrolinx and GO plan to accommodate more passengers and increase service along the Lakeshore East line, as part of their GO Expansion Program (formerly “regional express rail”).

Starting 7 a.m. Monday, October 19, TTC track crews are installing a new streetcar lubricator unit and track drain.

• on Dufferin Street south of Springhurst Avenue (beside Dufferin Gate Loop).

Crews may also repair and maintain the overhead streetcar wiring in Dufferin Gate Loop.

The TTC is detouring streetcars along this route, to accommodate the work zone:

• 504B King.

Track repairs at Dufferin / Springhurst and the resulting TTC detour continue until October 26.

Construction does not affect TTC service along the 29A / 29C Dufferin and 329 Dufferin overnight bus routes.

Soon after it establishes a work zone Monday morning, the track crew starts saw-cutting and digging out a section of concrete from the track area. They continue excavating all day Monday. Expect noise during this phase.

Afterwards, they install the new lubricator and track drain and place new concrete.

Crews mostly work from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. every day. The project may require some overnight work when crews remove concrete by hand or clean up the work zone.

TTC crews continue two projects to upgrade streetcar tracks on Bathurst Street:

• between Dundas Street West and Wolseley Street; and
• between Front Street West and Fort York Boulevard.

From 11:30 p.m. Sunday, October 18 until 5 a.m. Monday, October 19 and continuing overnight nightly, the crews are relocating new strings of rail that they’ve previously stored on Bathurst Street north of Queen Street West to sites on Bathurst south of King Street West and north of Fort York Boulevard.

By relocating the rail, they’re getting ready to install new tracks on the Sir Isaac Brock bridge across the Metrolinx / GO Transit tracks (between Front West and Fort York), starting Sunday, October 25. Crews are also delivering, and then parking, crew trailers and other construction materials in the eastbound curb lane on Front near Portland Street.

“Paid-duty” Toronto Police Service officers will escort the trucks moving the rail strings southward along Bathurst to ensure the safety of pedestrians, motorists and the track crew. (The long strings of rail are very heavy and could be damaging to property, vehicles and people, if the crews lose control of them while lifting or moving them.) Expect noise during this overnight activity, including beeping from safety signals on vehicles while they are reversing.

The TTC says, “Around-the-clock work by TTC is required during periods of new rail installation to preserve the integrity and quality of new rail and concrete, and support the daytime construction.” When working overnight to install tracks, the crews may:

• move rail into position;
• assemble rail strings;
• install rail; and
• weld and grind the rail.

The TTC continues relocating the rail strings overnight until October 21 at 5 a.m.