Torontonians are praising the TTC, yes, you read that right, praising the TTC, for its Scarborough Busway program that is improving travel for transit users.
Dedicated bus lanes replacing the Scarborough Rapid Transit System (SRT) have minimized the need for transfers and improved reliability on multiple bus routes, according to TTC data; and some regular transit riders agree.
Toronto resident Kevin Rupasinghe, who’s a former Scarborough Southwest City Council candidate, shared footage of the Kennedy Busway in operation via X, claiming the dedicated lanes were facilitating more efficient and reliable transportation.
He said the bus lanes are “incredibly cost-effective” and “quick to build compared to most transit infrastructure.”
Other residents were quick to agree.
“There should be more of these all over the GTA. In fact, any major road with 3 lanes and a bus route should automatically be considered for conversion,” another X user wrote.
“Love it. Now put cameras on the front of the buses to automatically tag the lane cheaters and send them a ticket,” another person wrote.
Following the closure of Line 3 last year, phase one of the city’s two phase Busway replacement program was fully implemented last November.
The first stage of the project included opening bus priority lanes to support on-street operation on Kennedy Road and Midland Avenue, as well as bus terminal improvements at Scarborough Centre Station and Kennedy Station.
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TTC spokesperson Stuart Green told Now Toronto that the busway expects to transport 118,000 customers a week via bus-only lanes.
“The bus lanes are not just for the express service from Scarborough Town Centre (STC) to Kennedy, they are used by numerous other routes in Scarborough to give people better trip times and eliminate the need to transfer at STC,” Green said.
For example, a passenger travelling to and from Malvern will no longer have to transfer on their way to the subway.
“While trip times may be a couple of minutes slower, depending on traffic on the non-express lane parts of Scarborough, customers appreciate the removal of transfers,” Green explained.
But, according to a status update from theTTC, busway journey times are expected to be comparable to the now obsolete Line 3 train service.
Bus replacements will also provide accessible services between Scarborough Centre Station and Kennedy Station until the opening of the Scarborough Subway Extension.
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The Busway currently operates between Ellesmere and Kennedy Stations, stopping at Ellesmere, Lawrence East, Tara, and Kennedy. Buses are also operating on Ellesmere Road with transit priority to Scarborough Centre Station.
“We know from the experience of the other Scarborough bus lanes (Eglinton, Kingston, morningside) that they offer marked improvements for transit users,” Green said.
According to a Line 3 busway conversion project update, the design of the busway under Phase 2 has been advanced to 60 per cent completion, with funding yet to be confirmed to commence the construction of the Busway.
