On July 24, 2023, 38 years of Line 3, the Scarborough RT, came to an ignoble end when a carriage left the tracks just south of Ellesmere station, four months before the dilapidated line was scheduled to close. Although the City of Toronto and the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) were hesitant to say so at the time, it was clear that the July derailment meant the permanent closure of Line 3.
When the derailment occurred, the city and the TTC were already planning to build temporary bus lanes with a bus track. The preliminary first phase of the plan – repainted bus lanes on Kennedy Road, Midland Avenue and Ellesmere Avenue – was completed in November, when Route 3 was originally scheduled to close. Route 903, an express bus between Kennedy Station, Scarborough Center and Centennial College, was supplemented by several other routes from north and east Scarborough, all of which run express buses along Midland and Kennedy. Routes 129, 131, 133, 903, 939, 954 and 985 as well as the new express bus route 938 use the newly painted bus lanes for a direct trip to Kennedy Station.
Northbound bus lane on Kennedy Road, image by Sean Marshall
The northbound curb lane on Kennedy Road and the southbound curb lane on Midland Avenue have been converted by the city into bus and bicycle-only lanes, with private motor vehicle drivers permitted to use them only to turn in and out of driveways and side streets.
So far the service is running smoothly, with most drivers respecting the bright red paint job. A dedicated left-turn lane at Ellesmere and Brimley also helps buses move more quickly. Motorists turning north towards Brimley and Scarborough town center will need to detour via Borough Approach West.
With the three-stop Scarborough Subway extension of the Danforth Line 2 not expected to open for another six or seven years, the TTC plans to build a new bus route along part of the former Line 3 route. Once the tracks, electrical equipment and roadway are removed, a new dual carriageway will be constructed between Kennedy and Ellesmere Station. There will be three stops: Tara Avenue, Lawence East Station, Ellesmere Station. The Tara Avenue stop will be brand new and will connect to the Meadoway Trail along the Gatineau Hydro Corridor and a pedestrian overpass between Tara and Mooregate Avenues.
In Lawrence East and Ellesmere, the bus stops will be adjacent to the existing station buildings, which are not currently being demolished. At Ellesmere, buses will exit the entrance and then follow Ellesmere Avenue towards Scarborough Centre, following the existing temporary route.
Before the temporary reserved bus lanes were established on Kennedy Road, etc., the TTC estimated transit travel time between Malvern Town Center and Kennedy Station at 46 to 53 minutes, including a three-minute bus-to-bus transfer at the Scarborough Center Terminal. The combination of the direct single-seat journey and the newly painted lanes reduced the journey time to 42 to 47 minutes. With the completion of the bus line, the travel time will be reduced to 40 minutes, comparable to the travel time when line 3 was still running.
Once the bus route opens on the former RT route, the painted bus lanes on Kennedy and Midland will be removed.
Once the new Scarborough subway extension to the Danforth Line 2 is completed, the TTC will consider preserving the converted bus route for the restored Kennedy Road Express service 943. With new housing planned for the Agincourt area, it will be in the Scarborough center continues to provide high demand for north-south bus services.
Due to numerous political debates over how best to serve Scarborough residents (subway extension versus LRT) and delays in starting construction following the subway extension decision, Scarborough residents will be long for many years to come Have to accept bus rides. Once the bus route is completed, it will at least provide slightly faster and more reliable service.
* * *
Sean Marshall is an UrbanToronto member and presenter, as well as a geographer, urban issues advocate, and blogger with a particular specialty in transportation. You can read it at www.seanmarshall.ca
UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area – from proposal to completion. We also offer instant reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from the first application.