14 thoughts on “Subway and Streetcar Major Works and Closures 2024”

1. Thank you for the summary!

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2. Perhaps you have insight Steve but any idea why they do not do extended closures anymore like they did with Pape?

   For example, the Crossover work at Warden they could turn trains at VP for a week to get the work done.

   With the SSE Work, they could close the line between Kennedy and Warden for a week to get the work done.

   The point I am making is that it has been done before.

   As I mentioned about Pape, when they renovated the station they closed it for around 2 weeks to do the work.

   Steve: There is a fundamental difference between skipping a station (something they will do again with Pape this year) and turning back all service. For example, turning all service at Victoria Park would require creation of a bus shuttle from there to Kennedy for the week of the shutdown. That is not a trivial change.

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3. Yes, lots of planned work and planned closures. I see that once again they have work planned for King & Church – an intersection that has been worked on many times but still often seems to need TTC staff on hand to help with cars turning. Maybe they will get it right this time?

   I also note that both KQR and Broadview Station have weekend closures for ‘overhead inspection’ – surely both were installed only last year (or this!)

   Steve: Overhead Inspections require only diversion/replacement of night service, not a weekend closure.

   In the 2025 map, the TTC claims that King & Church will be rebuilt in 2025 (CP legend = a major capital project). This is long overdue, and keeps being deferred thanks to conflicting road closures nearby.

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4. We need to think about going with double-ended streetcars in the future. Then we can use crossover tracks instead of loops for short turns.

   Maybe even temporary crossover tracks. Have passengers walk from one crossover, walk a block, and reach the crossover on the other side of the construction. No buses.

   But that would inconvenience the motorists, and we can’t do that.

   Steve: Considering that the next generation of streetcars will not be ordered for at least 15 years, and the existing ones will be in service after that, this is not exactly a “tomorrow” decision. That said, I do not agree with this scheme boh because of the street space needed for turnback operations and because of your premise that people can just walk from one end of a construction zone to the other. Inconveniencing motorists has nothing to do with it.

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5. Since when does York Mills have a double crossover? I has a long centre track to store at least two trains…

   Steve: That seems to be what the Infrastructure folks in TTC think it is.

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6. I wonder if they consider the crossovers at either end of the centre track to be separate.

   As far as I am aware Islington is the only station with a double crossover in revenue service (triple if you count the other end of the centre track).

   Steve: A “double crossover” is a standard “X” crossing at all terminals and former terminals (except Union where half of the crossover was removed for safety).

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7. Adelaide track construction?

   Steve: See under “Miscellaneous”.

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8. Adelaide track has dates running to September 6. I assume this means the 501 diversion is not expected to be operational until then. Yes? If so, it seems much slower than I had hoped (if not expected!). So much for speeding things up!

   Also, no mention of overhead on Adelaide from Charlotte to University – though the TTC overhead folk were doing something near John last week.

   Steve: The City has hopes of speeding up this work, but I despair than between the Metrolinx contractor and TTC track forces this will not be easy. Like the SRT busway, the project seems to have less than urgent priority.

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9. Any idea when Victoria north of Queen finally goes under the knife? It has to be the last street that’s in pitiful condition. (And, is that curve that runs through the City building actually still active?)

   Steve: I suspect not until sometime after Metrolinx finishes their great dig at Queen and Yonge.

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10. I remember the TTC and the City hinting at connecting Dufferin Gate loop with Exhibition Loop, but it seems like it’s not added here. Have they abandoned the project?

    Thanks for the summary, it’s very insightful.

    Steve: It was more than hinted at. Engineering work was underway, but was halted pending Ontario Line construction and a determination of what will fit where including a possible extension of the OL.

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11. Steve, what effect will overhead reconstruction have on streetcar service?

    Steve: The TTC is being cagey about this and I cannot get a straight answer beyond “We will notify customers of any service impacts at the appropriate time.” [Quote from email from TTC Media Relations]

    I suspect there is some internal debate about this underway.

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12. At times, it could be argued that there are many ways to harm a City, and if it’s already tripped up from a few too many years of ‘carservative’ and more suburban domination, that might be even better. The lack of a third route in a semi-express/fast route via a Front St. transitway extending west to past Parkdale, and yes, use the graded bank of advertising which isn’t highest best use, means we really do lack flexibilities in the old core, so it would be less of a deal to have mess-ups on King and Queen, and maybe could even turn ’em in to one-way transitways, as a ‘roadical’ thought from a ‘chitizen’.

    And OL is deficient in a few ways and not worth the billion-km and where is the actual contrast in an EA process for a straightline run under Adelaide? A straight ahead option is likely far faster done, and not nearly so deep to even cut and cover, and it’s a short walk to King, comparatively. I think we’ve been given a big pile, and it will cost us badly, and there’s no sense of actual value in any planned extension westward, and the Ex isn’t the destination of value, though for the e-game complex it is. (Adam Vaughan column in West End Phoenix of June 2022 p.8, not online it seems ends “Downtown Relief this ain’t”)

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13. Hey, Steve. Do you know how long they will have Pape station closed for? Start – End date?

    Steve: It’s in the article: “Station bypass Apr 13-15 and 27-29, June 22-24, July 27-29”.

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14. Hey Steve do you know if there are any plans during the closure of Kennedy to change the gate lines and pathing for access to the crosstown line?

    Steve: Don’t know, but the fact it has not happened yet says something about the “completeness” of the project.

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