TTC construction project known for causing traffic chaos is now delayed

TTC riders and other road users who were looking forward to the end of construction along the 510 Spadina streetcar corridor will have to deal with another few months of replacement buses along the busy route, as the project's timeline has just been lengthened.

The commission announced in the spring that streetcar service was about to be suspended along the thoroughfare, with necessary track, overhead and station work due to take place from late June until the end of December.

But, just as we approach the estimated completion time, it's being extended to well into the New Year.

In an update on Friday afternoon, the transit agency alerted customers that crews have run into some "unexpected challenges" and now, unfortunately, require until March 2025 "to remove and replace hundreds of metres of rail, bolts and anchors."

"We're looking to speed up where possible, but... the project is now scheduled to be completed in March, with replacement buses running in the priority lane on Spadina until then," it wrote on X.

Unfortunately, said replacement buses have greatly contributed to additional congestion along the already-packed north-south artery as they travel and stop in mixed traffic, especially during rush hour, when it is used as a key access point to the also under-construction Gardiner Expressway.

The #TTC has updated the project timeline for our work along the Spadina right-of-way and the loop within the station.
We’ve completed the work between King St. and Queens Quay.
Overhead work between Bloor and College is ongoing as is work inside the station.
Crews encountered…

— TTC Media Relations 📰🚌🚋🚈 (@TTCNewsroom) December 6, 2024

A few weeks into the headaches, the TTC had to revise the replacement vehicles' journey "to improve service and get around the gridlock" before the City decided to reserve sections of one lane in each direction for buses only.

While this has improved travel times for those on the 510, motorists, now down a lane, are facing worsened bottlenecks as the centre transit corridor remains out of use.

Speaking about the delays, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green tells blogTO "we recognize the inconvenience for customers and we're doing our best to speed things up in order to get streetcars back as soon as possible."

He also notes that staff are utilizing this extra time as best they can, completing work that was reserved for a future date — such as the installation of street-level gates south of Spadina Station to stop cars from accidentally driving into the streetcar tunnels — in coming weeks.