Updated June 28, 2021 at 6:10 pm:
The TTC has filled in some of the details on 51 Leslie, 88 South Leaside and 354 Lawrence East Night. See the individual sections of this article for details.
The TTC has launched public consultations for its 2022 Service Plan. This will be a difficult year in which ridership is expected, at best, to climb back to 75 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Budgets will be tight because the transit system plans to be operating close to 100 per cent of is former service (building up gradually on the buses for January 2022, then streetcars and finally the subway) even though fare revenue will be at a lower level. The TTC recognizes that it needs to provide good service to attract riders back to the system.
For the week of June 4-11, boardings on each of the TTC’s networks by vehicle type are still below 50 per cent of January 2020 values:
- Bus: 40%
- Streetcar: 27%
- Subway: 23%
- Overall: 31%
Trip occupancy for buses is generally below the target level.
- 4% of trips are over 50% full
- 0.6% of trips are over 70% full
- 0.3% of trips are over 80% full
An important distinction about crowding measurements is that as ridership recovers, a the definition of a “full” bus will rise from 25 riders today, to 35 and then to the “standard” full load of 51. Service levels and crowding in 2022 will be measured and allocated against this shifting target. In the short term, service will be provided at a crowding level below pre-pandemic times.
Crowding levels reported now are all day, all route, all week values, and they hide problem areas in the system. The TTC still does not break out reports on crowding or service quality by route, location or time of day. Their “On Time Departure Report” has not been updated in several years, and although there is still a link to it from the Customer Service page, the link is dead.
The 2018 Customer Charter is still linked and it includes a commitment, carried forward from the 2013 Charter:
Posting the performance of all surface routes on our website so you know how your route is performing.
One might ask why Rick Leary, the man Andy Byford hired to improve service, is incapable of producing reports of service quality beyond the extremely superficial level found in his monthly CEO’s Report. The TTC have detailed crowding data and use them internally, but do not publish them. As for on time performance or headway reliability, I have written extensively about problems with service quality and these metrics. Even though service is the top of riders’ desires, it is not reported by the TTC probably because the numbers would be too embarrassing.
This is a gaping hole in TTC Service – the absence of meaningful reporting and measurement of service quality as experienced by riders.
Although the TTC plans to return to 100 per cent service, this does not mean that the service patterns will match those of early 2020. Demand patterns have changed both in daily patterns (peaks or their absence) and location (heavier demand to suburban jobs in sectors where work from home is impossible). To the extent that peaks are smaller or non-existent, this works in the TTC’s favour by allowing a higher ratio of service hours to driving hours (buses spend less time, proportionately, going to and from garages). This also, of course, spreads out demand and can reduce crowding.
A new phenomenon is the early morning peak caused by commutes to jobs outside the core. This produces crowding even on some Blue Night Routes, and the TTC is looking at how this can be resolved.
There is a page on the TTC’s site including a link to a survey about planned changes including some new and revised routes, as well as the plan for route restructuring to accompany the opening of Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown. Tentatively, that line is expected to begin running on July 31, 2022 according to the TTC, but that is simply a planning target, not a hard date.
In this article, I have grouped the planned changes geographically to pull together information on related routes rather than numerically as they appear on the TTC’s site. I have also included information on some changes planned for later in 2021 to put the proposed 2022 route structure in context.
There is a separate consultation process launching soon regarding the future service design for the period between the shutdown of Line 3 Scarborough RT in mid 2023 and the opening of the Line 2 Scarborough extension in fall 2030.
There are three major components in the 2022 plan:
- Optimize the network to match capacity with demand.
- Restructure the network for the opening of 5 Eglinton Crosstown.
- Modify the network to respond to customer requests, evolving demand patterns and new developments.
All maps in this article are from the TTC’s website.
Restructuring the Network for Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown
This is the system map showing all routes with changes. It has been revised slightly from a previous version based on earlier rounds of feedback from riders.
Western Routes
The 32 Eglinton West route has been broken in three so that it branches now have their own route numbers an, presumably, there is no longer any pretense about integrated scheduling.
The primary alternate route has become 158 Trethewey, and it will originate from Keelesdale Station at Keele & Eglinton where the Trethewey branch of Eglinton splits off of the main route today. The route will be extended north via Weston Road to Knob Hill Drive.
The Emmett branch will become 170 Emmett originating at Mount Dennis Station, as will the main 32 branch.
When the Trethewey bus was once a separate route, it used number 83, but that has since been inherited by 83 Rexdale and now 83 Jones. The old number is not available for recycling.
Service on Jane Street will be revised to loop through Mount Dennis Station in both directions. This represents a considerable diversion for anyone making a trip crossing Eglinton Avenue, or a forced transfer.
35 Jane will operate between Mount Dennis Station west and north to Steeles and Pioneer Village Station, while 27 Jane South will operate between Mount Dennis Station and Jane Station at Bloor Street. The 935 Jane Express will operate over the entire route, but will divert to and from Mount Dennis Station. There is no through service crossing Eglinton Avenue, although someone could ride a 935 and just stay on for the excursion to Mount Dennis and back.
For those with an historical interest, route number 27 was originally the Downtown Bus on Yonge Street.
71 Runnymede will maintain its north end route with a diversion into Mount Dennis Station to connect with Line 5.
161 Rogers Road now ends at Jane and Alliance. It will be rerouted north to Mount Dennis Station. The service it now provides west of Weston Road will be taken over by 171 Mount Dennis.
171 Mount Dennis will be substantially revised to reduce its north end loop, but it will be extended at the south end to cover part of the existing 161 Rogers Road between Weston Road and Jane Street.
168 Symington now ends at Avon Loop at Rogers & Weston Road, but it will be extended north to Mount Dennis Station.
On Weston Road, both the 89 Weston and 989 Weston Express routes will maintain their current overall routes, but they will loop through Mount Dennis Station in both directions.
The 47 Lansdowne route will be split at Caledonia Station with the original route number staying on the southern portion, and the northern portion reclaiming its historical 18 Caledonia number.
A new route 179 Castlefield will operate between Cedarvale (now Eglinton West) and Keelsdale Stations.
Central Routes
34 Eglinton will operate between Science Centre Station at Don Mills and Mount Dennis Station replacing the central portions of the existing 34 Eglinton East and 32 Eglinton West routes.
Service along Eglinton east of Yonge now provided by 51 Leslie, 56 Leaside, and 54 Lawrence East will no longer operate, although the infrequent 74 Mt. Pleasant and 103 Mt. Pleasant North will return to a short section east of Yonge. The former 100 Flemingdon Park service to Eglinton Station will not be restored. The TTC expects that the new route 34 will run every 15 to 20 minutes.
334 Eglinton Blue Night will operate with two overlapping services.
- 334A will operate between Pearson Airport and Kennedy Station replacing the existing 332 service between the airport and Yonge Street.
- 334B will operate between Mount Dennis Station and Finchdene Square replacing the existing 334 service between Yonge Street and Finchdene Square.
This arrangement provides an overlap over the length of Line 5 between the two services.
The 13 Avenue Road route will be slightly altered so that it dodges west via Chaplin Crescent to Avenue Road and then north to Eglinton to connect with Avenue Station rather than heading straight up Oriole Parkway.
Service on Mt. Pleasant Road will be restored to its pre-construction arrangement with 74 Mt. Pleasant running between St. Clair and Eglinton, and 103 Mt. Pleasant North between Eglinton and Doncliffe Loop. Both the 74 and 103 services will run west to loop at Eglinton Station. The 74 will not return to Mt. Pleasant Loop.
Route 51 Leslie will be combined with the south end of the existing 56 Leaside route and the 56 will disappear. The 51 will connect to Line 5 at Laird and Sunnybrook Park Stations, and will operate south to Donlands Station as the 56 does today. The 54 Lawrence East bus will no longer serve Leslie Street. Service to Brentcliffe now provided by the 56B will be taken over by an extended 88 South Leaside and a 51B Leslie short turn service connecting with Laird Station.
Updated June 28, 2021: The TTC advises that:
The Laird and Brentcliffe block is served by both 51 Leslie and 88 South Leaside. The 51B branch, which is a short branch operating from Donlands to Eglinton operates in the peak periods to provide additional capacity on the busiest section of the route. The 88A and 88B are split at the Laird Station area, with the 88A via Eglinton, and 88B via Vanderhoof Ave. The City’s Laird in Focus project is planning for redevelopment of the Canadian Tire block at Laird and Eglinton, with a provision for a pedestrian promenade between Vanderhoof Ave and Laird Station. There are planned bus laybys on Vanderhoof to accommodate a bus-LRT connection via the promenade.
Email from TTC Service Planning & Scheduling, June 28, 2021
162 Lawrence/Donway will be substantially changed on the eastern portion of the route. Much of the loop on The Donway has been removed, and the route will be extended south from Barber Greene Road to Science Centre Station.
With the 54 Lawrence East also routed to Science Centre Station, the 162 will be the only route operating on Lawrence between the West Donway and Leslie Street, and there is a short gap west of Don Mills. No stops are missed, but a through ride crossing Don Mills on Lawrence will not be possible. Riders would have to walk the length of the gap (about 260m), or transfer at Don Mills and Barber Greene.
The service plan is silent on whether hours of service on the 162 will be extended to cover the period when Lawrence Avenue had full service with route 54. As noted earlier, the plan is also silent on the future of the 354 Lawrence East night bus and whether it will continue to operate via Leslie and Eglinton to Yonge, or be cut back to Science Centre Station.
Eastern Routes
81 Thorncliffe Park will be extended to Science Centre Station via Gateway Boulevard. With this change, the 81 will no longer operate on Overlea Boulevard between Thorncliffe Park East and West.
The 100 Flemingdon Park bus will be routed into Science Centre Station. The former 100B via Linkwood service will be restored replacing the 34C Eglinton East branch that operates there today. The former 100 service west on Eglinton to Yonge will not be restored because this duplicates the new Line 5.
The 54 Lawrence East and 954 Lawrence East Express routes will both terminate at Science Centre Station via Don Mills Road. This cuts back the 54 service now operating to Eglinton station and extends the 954 service that now terminates at Lawrence East Station.
Updated June 28, 2021 at 6:00 pm:
The 354 Lawrence East Blue Night route now operates to Eglinton Station via Don Mills Road. It will remains as is, and will provide a third service on Eglinton from Yonge to Don Mills.
New and Modified Routes
The TTC proposes some new routes, althought given the usual pattern these would probably not be implemented until fall 2022. With the exception of the extended 118 Thistle Down peak service and the seasonal nature of 172 Cherry, there is no information about future service levels.
8 Broadview will be extended south via Coxwell from its current loop at O’Connor to Coxwell Station. This will add service on Coxwell, notably to Michael Garron Hospital at Mortimer, to that now provided by 70 O’Connor. This structure makes three of the East York routes (62 Mortimer and 87 Cosburn are the other two) into U-shaped lines with a subway station at each end.
Waterfront Bus Service
Several routes will change in the waterfront to increase coverage and connectivity. The first of these changes was already approved in the 2021 service plan for 121 Front-Esplanade. After seasonal extensions end this fall, the western leg of the 121 to the Exhibition and Ontario Place will be dropped. The western terminus will be University Avenue. At the east end, the seasonal service south on Cherry will be dropped (see route 172 Cherry below). The 121 will be rerouted to the east end of the Canary District and north on River to Gerrard with a loop east to Broadview. This will bring bus service to many new residential buildings.
172 Cherry is a new seasonal route that will run to Cherry Beach covering the south end of what is now the 121 summer extension from Mill Street south to the beach.
150 Eastern is a new route that will run from King & University to Woodbine Loop via Eastern Avenue. This will bring service to areas in the northern Port Lands that are now served mainly by the south ends of various routes originating at the Danforth Subway.
65 Parliament now loops on street at its south end at The Esplanade. Service will be dropped on this loop, and the 65 will be extended south and west via Queens Quay to George Brown College adding another service to this area. It will also provide a transfer point with Line 2 within a subway station rather than on street corners as with the 75 Sherbourne or 19 Bay buses.
118 Thistle Down was formerly a branch of the 96 Wilson route, but was broken off as a separate service some years ago. The service will be extended in peak periods further northwest on Albion Road to Claireport. This will provide additional service on Albion Road above the existing 73C Royal York bus, but oriented east to Wilson Station rather than south.
Other Changes
The TTC plans to test timed transfers for infrequent Blue Night services that have substantial numbers of transfer riders between them. This would guarantee riders a connection and avoid problems with long waits for a missed bus. Decades ago, when the night route network was smaller, timed transfers were common, but they were lost with the suburban expansion.
More stops will be adapted for articulated buses, but there is no list of where these will be. This work has to fit into TTC plans to purchase more artics in future years and expand the number of routes served by them.
The TTC claims that it will continue to improve service reliability with schedules that allow them to deliver the advertised service. However, in many cases this simply means that headways (the space between vehicles) are widened and padding is added causing buses to bunch at terminals. Some recent schedule changes have finally recognized that some running times are excessive, and the surplus is being clawed back to save buses and/or improve service. This is a balancing act across the system as demand and traffic congestion return at different rates.
A new “queue jump lane” is being installed on Lake Shore Boulevard at Long Branch Loop for the 501 Queen car (when service eventually resumes with streetcars), and one is planned for Eglinton & Jane westbound.
The TTC is collaborating with the City on a more advanced version of Transit Signal Priority, but there are no details on just what this means for transit service.
There will be a follow-up report soon on the result of the Eglinton East “red lanes” project. Study of other bus priority lanes is in progress, but there has been some pushback about the full-time dedication of road space notably on Jane Street. The lanes on Eglinton-Kingston-Morningside were low hanging fruit because of the nature of the roads and the presence of diamond lanes on Eglinton.
Steve Munro 
The extension of 8 Broadview is a bit of an odd one. Coxwell currently has 70 A and C heading north (my route to the subway until last year) and 22 heading south. It also has the 404 community route.
For the 70 in particular, having enough bays for buses was often a challenge, more so during poor weather. How a third route is going to be shoehorned in is going to be interesting, and only seems workable in best case conditions even if 404 is punted elsewhere, unless the choice is made to load 8 on-street.
There is also the option of renumbering 8 to 70B, of course… frees up a future rapid transit line number too 🙂
I have thought for some time since the route was last amended the goal for 404 should be to route further along Mortimer to Greenwood, providing minor service to/from that station to some multi unit buildings in that area, but presumably that would have to wait for an elevator to be completed.
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I’m guessing if people on the 35 JANE and 935 JANE EXPRESS can wait until 2030-31 and the opening of the Eglinton West LRT extension, those routes would return to a straight service along Jane Street, past the JANE NORTH (?) Station. Likely with short turns at JANE NORTH (?) Station.
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The 179 CASTLEFIELD bus would have a problem with the current condition of Beechborough Avenue (the continuation of Castlefield Avenue). There are useless 4-way stops and speed bumps along it. Would be better if they replaced the 4-way stops and bumps with raised intersections with YIELD shark teeth. Motorists would have to slow down and yield to motorists on their right at the raised intersections, and stop behind the buses at the bus stops.
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The extension of the 65 Parliament bus to Queen’s Quay is a ‘no-brainer’ and should probably have been done when the George Brown campus opened there several years ago.
The map of the 121 changes still has the bus going south on Church not Scott (the street name is on wrong street too!) I hope (though do not expect!) that they will put stops AT Union Station not a block away.) The real problem with this route now is that it is amazingly infrequent and, of course, poorly managed!)
Steve: That drawing is from the 2021 Service Plan and so contains the errors you mentioned. I included it for context.
The 172 seasonal service to Cherry Beach is probably going to be useful, at one time the service (on the extended 121, then called 172) ran past King Station and that was VERY popular as it was an easy connection.
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Just for food for thought Steve. I have been reading some Mississauga documents that the TTC may possibly axe routes 49 BLOOR WEST and 50 BURNHAMTHORPE as MiWay will begin to take over the operations of the two routes as part of the pilot fare integration project between Etobicoke and Mississauga. In order for it to work, according to the document:
Steve: I am not holding my breath for fast passage of the necessary legislation. Also, the support within Presto for fare integration does not yet exist because the specifics of that plan have not been ironed out. I think a “fall 2021” pilot date is extremely optimistic.
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Everything seems to be ok except there will be no service going straight through Eglinton [On Jane] … I don’t know how many riders are there who are taking 35 Jane service from Jane Station to north of Eglinton (or vice versa), but it would definitely affect those group of people a lot with that..
I know the route will eventually be streamlined once the western portion of the crosstown LRT opens..
Rob and Doug Ford are definitely ruin the infrastructures in Toronto.. as the original Eglinton LRT was planned from Pearson rather than Mount Dennis and Rob scrapped the whole plan to delay the improvement of the infrastructures.
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There’s a larger point that we should try to keep in mind; how well private vehicles are avoiding costs, both dollars and many intengibles less easily measured eg. climate change/pollution. A classic paragraph that I’ve been repeating c. 25 years is how Vancouver found that each car there had $2700 of subsidy, or about seven times what they subsidized transit. (Globe, Jan. 10, 1996, article on costs of sprawl, with work of Pamela Blais, eventually Perverse Cities). But ‘we’ tend not to have discussion of this, let alone more direct user pay ie. Vehicle Registration Tax or tolls – due to large numbers of ‘votorists’ of all parties/areas.Yes, one has to repeat this for a quarter-century. If this number inflated like Toronto housing, would it be $10,000 a year of avoided cost/subsidy?
So would putting in a $500 VRTax – with targeted destinations of road repairs and TTC both capital and operating be a good thing?
At least the TTC seems to be doing better than GO for ridership recovery; GO being literally decimated.
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The 8 Broadview should have been replaced the 70C branch of O’Connor. It will still maintain that three East York routes double into the subway at each end (even if the 70C technically goes into Scarborough).
The customers on St. Clair East have more options to reach more routes out west, and still be given a choice to rapidly reach a subway station (one of TTC standards) by keeping the Warden Station option available. Plus, were not choking Coxwell Station.
And the 70A should be renumbered to 70 (get rid of 70B) and whatever resultant resources should be made more reliable for existing folks. The torture on that route should not be allowed to continue when something happens, both markets are affected.
Guaranteed, I’ll be reaching out to them in the survey about this.
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Here’s a thought. Instead of looping the 123 at Broadview/Gerrard, keep it going on River, back onto Bayview, and loop it at the Brickworks. I’d think there’d be more demand there for service, than the already well-served Broadview/Gerrard area that has already got 3 very frequent streetcar lines.
Steve: The intent is to link the apartments on River to Broadview Avenue. Frankly, the Brickworks is not exactly a big draw. I see the bus that runs from Broadview Station quite regularly, and it is never busy.
I’d be tempted to make the 172 year-round, rather than seasonal. But if it is there for seasonal service, why not just stay south of the railway tracks, rather than spending a long time detouring through the West Donlands?
Steve: By going north, the 172 also serves the Distillery District.
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Steve – thanks as always for providing such detail on proposed changes. What’s with the strange route number assignment? 150? 158? 179? Why is there a strange aversion to reusing numbers such as 114? And one small typo – you have the 161 Rogers Road listed as the 151.
Steve: Fixed. Thanks!
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Interesting proposed changes.
Steve, I believe the TTC proposes to slightly alter the re-instatement of the Mount Pleasant 74 bus. While it formerly terminated at the loop on the northeast corner of Mount Pleasant and Eglinton, they are now proposing it run west on Eglinton and terminate at Eglinton Station. I wonder what will become of the loop on Mount Pleasant at Eglinton.
Steve: You are correct. I will amend the text.
Also, they are not particularly clear re: the routes surrounding Laird Station. Will the South Leaside continue to have two branches going opposite ways around the large loop? 88A going counterclockwise (via Overlea first and then to Thorncliffe, Beth Nealson, Wicksteed etc.) and the 88B going clockwise (via Laird, Eglinton, Brentcliffe, Vanderhoof, Leslie and Wicksteed and then on to Thorncliffe). If this is the case then both branches would serve Laird Station but each going in opposite directions.
Steve: I have asked for clarification on this myself. Stay tuned.
Finally the proposed 51B which will terminate at Laird Station. I assume it will loop similarly to the existing Leaside 56B (by Eglinton, Brentcliffe, and Vanderhoof (or the reverse)). It makes more sense in my opinion to do the reverse loop as then it will be able to stop on the correct (west) side of Laird for the main (accessible) entrance. The TTC proposed map appears to show it looping on Vanderhoof as opposed to the 56B which uses Wicksteed to go from Brentcliffe back to Laird. I’ve heard they’ll be installing traffic signals at Laird and Vanderhoof so turns there will be easier.
The proposed routes on the TTC maps are not entirely clear to say the least.
Steve: Yes, one early piece of feedback I gave them when this came out was that the maps are not clear even to people who know the affected routes and areas well. They are also missing area maps showing the combined effect of all of the changes on an area like Leaside, Mount Dennis or the waterfront.
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I’m not so sure about the changes to the 121. Traffic on Front, Wellington, and Simcoe is fairly bad during the afternoon rush hours. Often times it is faster to walk around the western loop than it would be to drive around it.
Would the 365 night bus be shortened back to Front Street? I don’t figure there’s any time in the schedule for it to be extended.
Steve: I believe that the TTC intends to discontinue the 365 Parliament Night Bus, and so this is a moot point.
The new 150 Eastern service might end up suffering from similar issues to the 121. A routing via Berkeley might be easier to manage than the impossible turn at Parliament. I’m sure users of the bike lane in the east side will love dodging the occasional bus now. Is this to replace the 140 series bus?
Steve: The 140 serves a different market and is peak only. Whether this route series ever returns, however, is another question.
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What is the “timed transfer” to be tested on infrequent Blue Night services, and how is it different from the two-hour transfer?
Steve: A timed transfer is a protected connection between two routes. Suppose that both the Jane and Finch West night buses run every half hour and they are scheduled to be at their crossing point at a specific time every half hour so that riders are guaranteed a connection. As things stand now, it depends on individual operators whether meets like this work reliably, and none of them is built into the schedule. Decades ago this was common, but the practice was stopped. Expanding the night network was more important than making it work for the best benefit of riders.
A related point is that a guaranteed connection means that riders can expect their trips to be predictable and shorter. For long trips, this makes the two hour transfer go further.
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The TTC is missing out on, in my opinion anyways, a glaring opportunity to restructure the western segment of the 52 Lawrence West. Actually the problems with that route probably haven’t even occurred to them so I’ll spell it out for them: service on Dixon Road through to the airport is horrid.
Pre-pandemic it wasn’t uncommon so suffer waits up to 20 minutes at peak times due to service bunching, and bad line management. Outside of peak periods have their own set of issues. Not to mention that service doesn’t accommodate the strong demand along the corridor.
There should really be a route from Mount Dennis Station, traveling along Dixon/Weston through to Pearson. This would allow for more reliable service on the western section of the 52.
Steve: I have previously looked at the 52 in my service analyses, and have more unpublished data. Yes, it is a real mess especially on the outer end of the route.
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Thank you Steve for providing us details on the potential route changes once the Crosstown starts. Some thought I have with this are:
These are just suggestions and I added them in the TTC survey. Thanks again for these great articles and the great work.
Steve: You’re welcome. Yes, some parts of the proposal don’t seem to be well thought-out notably the express and night services.
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My experience on 41 Keele is that there is a fair amount of ridership turnover around Rogers/Eglinton, and the buses are usually busier in both directions north of there. So it’s a little odd that Jane gets split at the Eglinton line, but Keele does not.
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Steve, nicely organized details about bus route realignments right across the city. Can you explain why the 34 Eglinton service is required in addition to the Line 5 Eglinton service? I’m a little confused by that. When I saw the bus platforms being installed on Eglinton at Keele St, I assumed it was only for the 334 Eglinton Blue Night service.
In regards to the separation of the 47 Lansdowne and 18 Caledonia, anecdotally speaking that’s going to frustrate riders riding north on Caledonia, going north of Eglinton, who work in the Design & Decor District where Canada Goose and Roots have their offices located, in addition to other manufacturing and service-related companies in the area that often rely on low-wage works taking public transit to and from work.
Steve: Parts of Eglinton, especially east of Yonge, have stations far apart. The 34 will provide a service for people who do not want to, or cannot walk to their nearest station.
As for the route splits, I am reminded of what happened when the Bloor-Danforth subway opened and the TTC discovered who did, and did not, want service reoriented to a rapid transit station. The 7 Bathurst split at St. Clair was notable. Also, of course, Dufferin doesn’t have a bus loop because the TTC didn’t think it would be an important route.
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Thanks for using your connections Steve and passing along the info to us the readership. It (and all the time you spend doing the detailed work you do) is most appreciated!
Steve: Thank you!
The TTC has provided a little more clarity but it sure would be nice to get more detailed maps (showing the direction buses run around loops etc.). Especially since they are asking for our feedback. We’re expected to comment upon a plan that has not been fully explained. (vote first then we’ll release our platform).
I suppose this is nothing particularly new – sigh.
It sounds like their proposed connection between the 88B (presumably going eastbound on Vanderhoof from Laird) will be what they used to call a walking transfer. It will be a somewhat straight line if and when the promenade is built where Canadian Tire is now but until then it will be a fair walk. This is not what I would call a direct connection to Laird Station and this sounds like the promenade would lead to the secondary (non-accessible) entrance. It would be even further to the main entrance.
Steve: Part of my feedback to the TTC involved separating lines for each route on maps where several converged and highlighting the one that was under discussion on each map.
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The lack of a through service on O’Connor Drive is one of the last vestiges of the Hollinger bus system. Apparently there was talk of a through service as part of the 1980s route reorganization in East York.
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The 158 Trethewey’s revised routing is a great idea IMO as i know a few people, my mum included who like to do shopping at the Weston and 401 complex. I however still see a missed trick which i actually pointed out as a suggestion in the survey. There should be a second branch of the 158, peak only that runs north on Jane to Sheppard providing much needed extra service between Lawrence and Sheppard on Jane.
Even then Jane will most certainly need articulated buses once we return to full pre-pandemic levels. I hear it’s already getting back to crush loads. Also a good idea to split the Jane bus at Eglinton (IMO this should remain even after Line 5 West gets built) as south of Eglinton is where i find the 35 isn’t as busy anymore. This will improve service south of Eglinton with better reliability and utilizing a more appropriate bus type.
No one mentioned how the 989 was cleverly routed onto Black Creek for its looping through Mount Dennis station whilst all the local buses stay on Weston. I like that.
I find the TTC’s insistence on routing the 71 through Mount Dennis division and Industry Street odd. The station should be its northern terminus. On a northward journey, no one is gonna want to go past the station and go through that mickey mouse looping just to finally reach the station and no one will want to hop off to transfer into the station. The 171 already serves Industry street and therefore moots the point of 71 looping that way after line 5’s opening.
I feel the TTC may be also missing a trick with the truncated 32. It’s ultimately planned for line 5 to go to Renforth and then potentially to the Airport. In the current configuration, why not have the 32 or a branch of it travel from Mount Dennis to the Airport? I wonder if this is so people will take the 32 to Mount Dennis to use the UP express but what about those who live closer to Renforth? Anyway, redundancies are usually good in preventing over-reliance and overcrowding.
I think I speak for everyone when I say, the 935 shouldn’t be jogging to Mount Dennis station. I’m sure it makes sense to the TTC but in reality, people on the express probably want to be staying on Jane rather than going to a station where I might add, hardly anyone will be de-busing especially if they came from line 2 and the bus would become even more crowded. The jogs should be exclusive to the 27 and 35 and the 935 just provides through service.
Those are my opinions on the matters that’ll affect me.
Steve: I await a report from the TTC on a compendium of responses and suggestions to their proposed routes.
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A late thought.
Surely an express bus from Mount Dennis station to Renforth station is a no-brainer, in advance of the Line 5 extension.
Steve: Maybe, but that assumes there is a substantial demand for point-to-point trips. Moreover, an express almost certainly would come at the expense of local service. This strikes me much more as something that should be provided as an extension of MiWay service into Toronto so that there is no artificial transfer point at the border with the 905.
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I’d assume an express to Renforth would stop at future Line 5 station locations, like Jane, Kipling, Islington, etc.
If there isn’t enough demand, it questions the entire point of the extension! Mind you, the Transit City EA projections for ridership also make one question ..
Steve: Of course, Metrolinx’ own demand estimates showed that their “express” underground version of the extension will attract fewer riders than the surface option with more stops. But Etobicoke will have another “subway” and that’s all that matters in our warped transit world.
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Please don’t stop 54b 54a buses. I need this bus & I have severe knee osteoarthritis. I [live on Leslie, and] always took buses for 40 years. Please. I’m lost without that. Thank you so much!!!!
Steve: Note that I have nothing to do with the TTC’s decisions beyond publishing what they intend to do. Your feedback should be directed to the TTC. Based on the address you gave (which I have deleted from the comment for privacy), you are represented on Council by Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong who sits on the TTC Board. You should contact his office directly.
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