As far as Toronto's transportation projects go, it seems to be an absolute anomaly: to the surprise and delight of locals, work on a major TTC route in the city is actually being completed ahead of schedule.
St. Clair Avenue residents are grumbling about changes to the 512 streetcar line along the thoroughfare, which was replaced by shuttle buses in the fall because of roadworks that were set to last a year.
Toronto neighbourhood angry that streetcars will be replaced by buses next year https://t.co/5xbYnfIxKg #Toronto #TTC
– blogTO (@blogTO) August 29, 2023
This has not only resulted in less than satisfactory transit service along the four-mile stretch of arterial between St. Clair Station and Gunn's Loop, but has also impacted car traffic as buses now operate in car lanes rather than the dedicated streetcar corridor that Route 512 normally uses.
The fact that the construction of the corridor has already hampered the neighborhood with months of construction chaos only makes the renewed closure of the corridor even more frustrating.
However, it looks like the construction work – which the TTC says involves overhead line upgrades that are considered critical repairs – will be completed months earlier than expected.
In Toronto, we're not used to public transit construction being completed on time. I'm pleased to announce that thanks to the collaboration of TTC Chair @JamaalMyersTO and City Councillor @BravoDavenport, we've ensured that upgrades to the 512 St. Clair streetcar have been completed ahead of schedule and service will resume in late July!
— Josh Matlow (@JoshMatlow), May 30, 2024
Although the end date was originally vaguely stated as “summer 2024,” with many assuming August, Toronto-St. Paul City Councillor Josh Matlow posted on X on Thursday that the updates would now be completed by mid-July.
The TTC page on the project has also been changed, pointing to a July resumption of streetcar service along St. Claire, and stating that “the exact date will be confirmed in advance.”
The improvements to St. Clair West Station itself will continue into December of this year and will cause only minor inconvenience to passengers, who will have to board outside the hub rather than in the streetcar turnaround loop.
Any news about the Eglinton Crosstown?
— Tyler Mason (@TylerMason) May 30, 2024
While many reacted with appreciation for the rare positive news on public transit today, some naturally wondered if similar progress could be made on other transit lines in the city — especially the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT, where the answer is, “Probably not anytime soon.”