People in Toronto have plenty to say about the new Line 5 Eglinton

After an agonizing 15-year wait, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project finally entered service as the TTC's Line 5 on Sunday, Feb. 8.

It's safe to say the launch was far smoother than the disastrous Finch West LRT opening, which was plagued by delays and disappointingly slow speeds upon debuting as the TTC's Line 6 Finch two months earlier.

One thing to love about Toronto is the fact that residents are always ready to give their two cents – whether anyone asks or not!

So when blogTO spoke with riders on opening day, people didn't hold back about their thoughts on the long-awaited Line 5.

@blogto Toronto's thoughts on Eglinton LRT 🙌🏼 🎙️ @betabriii 🎥 @antonwongvideo ♬ original sound - blogTO

"It's been, what, 100 years?" one Toronto resident joked. She wasn't that far off, though. The Eglinton Crosstown was first proposed in 2007, but it wasn't until 2011 that construction officially began. 

"Better late than never," another resident added. A sort of half-compliment that seemed to sum up the general consensus. 

"Hopefully this sends a message to the politicians above that, hey, the faster we build things, the less we suffer," another pointed out.

For others, the opening felt deeply personal. One Toronto man said he was just 11 years old when Metrolinx first began construction on the Crosstown.

"I'm 25 now. More than half my life I've been waiting for this day!" he said.

When it comes to speed and convenience, many agree that the new LRT delivers on all cylinders, metaphorically speaking, of course. 

"They advertised it at 55 minutes end to end — and it was!" another rider said, impressed that the travel time was exactly as advertised. 

One commuter even told us that thanks to Line 5, they'll save about 35 minutes on their daily commute. 

Some riders are already thinking about what Line 5 means for the city's neighbourhoods, including Little Jamaica. One passenger said he's looking forward to supporting local businesses along the route. Conveniently, we've already compiled a list of where to eat at almost every stop along the Eglinton LRT line.

And for others, the Line 5 represents something more than just convenience. It shows the city's growth and evolving transit system.

"You look at the subway map, and it looks a lot more complete than it ever used to," another resident said. "I think it's great for Toronto."