TTC: Other Items (catch all)

[zang]

Doug knows Chicago well — it’s got a decent subway system but not much in the way of frequent surface transit. There are no streetcars, and only a few scattered bus-priority lanes. It’s probably where a lot of his thinking about transit comes from.

As a councillor, Doug use to love talking about making Toronto a "world class city", and yet both then and now, steadfastly resists the examples of London, Paris, New York, etc. in decreasing car access, building large bike networks, lowering speed limits, pedestrianizing swaths of the city, etc. He's all talking point, zero action. If it isn't a four-wheeled rolling living room or live in the 905, it doesn't matter to him.

 

[rbt]

Doug knows Chicago well — it’s got a decent subway map ...

I've been less impressed by their subway operations. The map looks great but actual service varies significantly by line; though it doesn't help I tend to visit on weekends.

Yellow or Pink line Sunday service [roughly 15 minute frequencies] is on-par with Lakeshore GO sunday service. Toronto's rapid transit map gets a lot larger if you start adding GO services to it.

 

[kotsy]

I shouldn't have said anything with respect to the King & Dufferin reopening this past weekend.

It seems there are problems that need to be fixed with the concrete work. Now there is spray paint all over the intersection and various sections of concrete being cut.

 

[turbanplanner]

Doug knows Chicago well — it’s got a decent subway system but not much in the way of frequent surface transit. There are no streetcars, and only a few scattered bus-priority lanes. It’s probably where a lot of his thinking about transit comes from.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) closed the Red Line for several months in 2021-2022 for a reconstruction project on the South Side, which included nine stations between Cermak-Chinatown and 95th/Dan Ryan. While this was a significant closure, another recent, but shorter, project in 2021-2025 closed four stations on the North Side for extended periods for a major modernization effort

Thank god we don't close entire sections of our subway lines for years though

 

[smallspy]

I shouldn't have said anything with respect to the King & Dufferin reopening this past weekend.

It seems there are problems that need to be fixed with the concrete work. Now there is spray paint all over the intersection and various sections of concrete being cut.

View attachment 691666View attachment 691667View attachment 691668

While I can't identify what the orange circles are for, the concrete cuts are to install the antennas for the various systems at the intersection - TTC's N/A switch activation system, traffic signal loop sensors, etc.

Dan

 

[drum118]

TTC resumes bus service through King St. W and Dufferin St. intersection on October 30

October 28, 2025

Starting Thurs., Oct. 30, the TTC will resume regular bus service on the 29/329 Dufferin and 929 Dufferin Express through the intersection at King St. W. and Dufferin St., as streetcar track renewal construction work wraps up.

Work at the King St. W. and Dufferin St. intersection started in late September and was projected to continue until mid-November. With the reopening of the intersection, the TTC can now resume bus service earlier than anticipated.

While TTC crews test and commission the newly installed streetcar tracks, 504A King/304 King and 508 Lake Shore streetcars will divert on Queen St. W. between Shaw St. and Roncesvalles Ave. 504B King streetcars will continue to be shortened to Bathurst St.

503 Kingston Rd buses will also be temporarily extended past Dufferin St., operating between Bingham Loop (Kingston Rd. at Victoria Park Ave.) and Roncesvalles Ave., stopping at all stops along King until regular streetcar service is restored.

Wheel-Trans service will remain accessible in all areas where local traffic is permitted.

Full details of the service adjustments are available at https://www.ttc.ca/service-advisories/Streetcar-Service-Changes.

 

[nfitz]

Thank god we don't close entire sections of our subway lines for years though

Well played!

 

[DSCToronto]

 

[Richard White]

Mandeep Lali is at Union Station tonight keeping tabs on things.

I'm surprised the CEO is supervising operations personally.

 

[evandyk]

It's a pretty big night for them. Full Skydome and ACC, both of which will empty out at the same time (and quickly if they lose). Even though there is often a game in both venues on the same day, they would normally end at different times.

 

[Richard White]

It's a pretty big night for them. Full Skydome and ACC, both of which will empty out at the same time (and quickly if they lose). Even though there is often a game in both venues on the same day, they would normally end at different times.

I'm at Scotiabank. It's a full house.

 

[evandyk]

Yeah, I heard it sold out in minutes. So there will be 70,000 people trying to pass through union station in a pretty small window. Even the tiniest issue could become catastrophic (OK, I'm exaggerating, but they have a lot riding on successful service tonight).

 

[chrisw]

Statement from TTC CEO Mandeep S. Lali in advance of the @MLB #WorldSeries finale:

"This is truly an exciting moment for our @BlueJays and for the whole city! The #TTC is ready to deliver the best possible service to help fans move around the city as they cheer the Jays on to a World Series victory! We have 16 extra subway trains on Lines 1 and 2 available before and after the games, along with additional staff to assist customers.

One thing to note when the Jays win: we will temporarily suspend bus and streetcar service in the downtown core between Church and Bathurst in the east and west and Bloor to the lake, allowing everyone to celebrate on the streets as safely as possible. Subway service will continue with staff on hand to monitor for and manage any crowding that's observed.

On behalf of all TTC employees, Let’s Go Blue Jays!!" #WANTITALL

 

[Richard White]

Yeah, I heard it sold out in minutes. So there will be 70,000 people trying to pass through union station in a pretty small window. Even the tiniest issue could become catastrophic (OK, I'm exaggerating, but they have a lot riding on successful service tonight).

*Manifests Plan F/Priority One*

 

[evandyk]

One thing to note when the Jays win: we will temporarily suspend bus and streetcar service in the downtown core between Church and Bathurst in the east and west and Bloor to the lake, allowing everyone to celebrate on the streets as safely as possible. Subway service will continue with staff on hand to monitor for and manage any crowding that's observed.

I was out on King the night the Raptors won, and TTC service had to stop because all of the downtown streets were full of people. It's not like you could have driven a car through downtown either. Most of the cars we saw were trapped, with the occupants sitting on the roof celebrating.