Mar 30 Observations: Fleet Street, Bathurst St

[isittimetomoveyet]

Re: The 509 route.

For someone living in Liberty Village who works right downtown, is this a good alternative to the King Streetcar? (Which I'm trying to avoid at all costs!)

Anyone know how long the entire loop takes, from Exhibition to Union?

Thanks!

Cant say about the entire route, but from Union to Bathurst (the area with the most lights and stops) it is about 10 - 12 minutes I would say. Works for me.

 

[drum118]

Thanks, drum. Yeah, I'd be hopping on at Strachan so I'm all "yay" for being able to get a seat.

Pardon my ignorance, but do you mean that the streetcar comes every 8-9 mins after September 1? Or that it completes its run (EX to Union) in 8 to 9 mins? (I'm guess that wrong - seems too fast!)

Headway is 8-9 after the Ex.

Run is supposed to be 20 minutes which is long considering most of it is in the ROW. Streetcars should be doing 50km along the route, but it more like 20.

You need to know how long it will take you to walk to/from where starting/ending as well the travel time to compare it to the 504.

You need to know the same thing for the 504. 504 has its own set of problems

509 will get blog down by the 510 or lack of 510 since both 509/510 carry bulk of riders from Union to Spadina in the first place. Ridership on 509 drops off after Spadina and falls off at Bathurst. Between Bathurst and CNE, you will always have a seat outside of events. Once the new condo's along Fleet come on line over the next 5 years, that may change.

If the Fort York line is built within the next 10 years, it will be the fastest route of the 3 routes.

 

[SGHA504]

I don't understand why the 509/511 section from Exhibition loop to Bathurst hasn't been given signal priority. I've caught the 509 in the morning on the way to work and have just sat at repeated red lights without another car to be seen on the road. It's frustrating seeing as though the ROW was just completed.

 

[Bloor West Villager]

Cant say about the entire route, but from Union to Bathurst (the area with the most lights and stops) it is about 10 - 12 minutes I would say. Works for me.

It's been a little longer in the last few weeks with the tunnel work in Union Station causing the streetcars to reduce their speeds. When streetcars were running at full speed, 10-12 minutes from Bathurst to Union (or vice versa) was very realistic.

The additional advantage is even when there are events that pack the 509 from Union and prevent you from getting a seat, the ride is fast enough that standing is tolerable versus the 504.