Major changes are headed to Spadina Ave. and many TTC riders are already annoyed at the delays it will bring.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) announced that buses will be replacing streetcars on the 510 Spadina route beginning June 23 until the end of the year 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.
The construction along the route will focus on track renewal, modernizing the overhead electrical system and will enable works for a future platform extension, TTC explained in a news release on Wednesday.
But the news of the forthcoming construction is frustrating many Torontonians, as more construction will only lead to further delays and chaos on busy city streets.
One Reddit user describes the current traffic situation on Spadina towards the Gardiner Expressway as a “nightmare,” and said it took 30 minutes to drive from Queen Street to Front Street, a distance stretching a mere 700 metres.
Several users who frequent the streetcar route are expressing their disappointment online as well, with many calling the city a joke.
“This is gonna be a disaster,” one user wrote.
“Now instead of the crowded rush hour streetcar that fits everyone, we get to fiddle around and wait for a half dozen buses that will surely not be massively delayed as people try to cram onto a vessel a fraction of the size of a streetcar,” another user complained. “I’m so tired of this city I don’t even have the energy to get mad.”
Some users have chosen to make light of the situation, quoting lyrics to Canadian band The Shuffle Demons’ 1986 hit “Spadina Bus,” a catchy ode to the defunct 77B TTC bus route that is now sort of making a comeback.
Mayor Olivia Chow acknowledged the construction will be “challenging” but said it’s necessary.
“I know many people rely on the Spadina streetcar and construction can be challenging. This is important work that will ensure a safe and reliable TTC service for many years to come,” Chow said in a statement.
Following her comments on X earlier this week about meeting with business leaders regarding their desire to getemployees back into office more often, many are criticizing the mayor’s push for more in-person work while making commuting harder.
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“So glad the Mayor is trying to get more people to work downtown while simultaneously TTC service is being disrupted,” one Reddit user wrote.
“More transit disruptions? Sounds like a great time to force even more people back into DT offices!” another user said.
The TTC did not disclose an exact end date for the construction, but said it will last until December.
“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,” TTC Chair Jamaal Myers said in a statement.
