Prepare for delays TTC riders, as the 510 Spadina streetcar is now out of service until the end of the year.
Earlier this month, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced that buses will be replacing streetcars on the 510 Spadina route beginning until December due to infrastructure upgrades.
Buses will operate both ways on Spadina Ave. between Spadina Station and Queens Quay West. Commuters travelling to or from Union Station will have to transfer between the buses and the 509 Harbourfront cars at Queens Quay West.
On Sunday, the TTC officially began the suspension, and many Torontonians are fearing the chaos to come to Spadina Avenue, a road already riddled with traffic.
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“That’s going to be a nightmare,” a Reddit user wrote.
“It already takes me an hour to get to work so I wonder how much longer my commute will be,” another user said.
“Not only will Spadina be clogged like it usually is during rush hour, but we’ll also have buses blocking the traffic?” questioned another user.
The suspension comes at a horrible time for Toronto commuters, some say, especially following the lane closure on the Gardiner Expressway, where a 700 metre stretch of the busy highway has been reduced to two lanes.
“Ever since the Gardiner construction started, Spadina has been clogged at all times of the day. The best thing about the 510 streetcar was that it could bypass all that traffic because it had a dedicated right-of-way. But now that’s gone too!” a Reddit user said.
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The construction along the Spadina route will focus on track renewal, modernizing the overhead electrical system and will enable works for a future platform extension at Spadina Station, TTC explained in a news release.
On the same day of the 510 streetcar suspension, St. Clair’s 512 resumed service after being closed since September. The route also underwent construction for similar purposes and was completed ahead of schedule. The hope is that the Spadina route’s track work will also be finished early ahead of the winter.
“The modernization of the overhead power network on Spadina Ave. is part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and reliable transit system for all TTC riders,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said.
“While temporary bus replacements may cause inconvenience, dedicated TTC teams will be working hard to ensure the upgrades are finished on time or ahead of schedule by the end of this year.”
