501 Queen streetcar off the tracks for entire summer, TTC says
It's Toronto's third-busiest streetcar route, carrying more than 43,000 passengers a day
There won't be any streetcar service on the entire 501 Queen route this summer.
TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said streetcars will be replaced with buses along the busy route due to a number of construction projects both the city and the TTC are undertaking.
Green cited ongoing track work around Queen Street East and Coxwell Avenue, continued work west of Roncesvalles Avenue, and the upcoming replacement of the pedestrian walkway bridge to the south side of the Eaton Centre, which requires the removal of streetcar cables in the area.
"It made more sense to replace the streetcars with buses to give our customers a more seamless ride," Stuart said.
The move has been met with mixed reactions online:
Replacement buses along the 501 Queen streetcar line all summer? The downtown core is going to get real messy.
—@omarirakimFor everyone freaking out about the 501 buses: I will guarantee you, those buses will end up being faster.
—@meigharoo<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ttc?src=hash">#ttc</a> they wouldn't close the DVP for the entire summer, why is transit expendable? <a href="https://t.co/ddDY9x3gCY">https://t.co/ddDY9x3gCY</a>
—@jonovision_manFirst-ever full closure of Queen streetcar line
It's the first time a full closure has ever happened on the 501 line, which stretches from the Neville Park loop in the east end to the Long Branch loop in the west.
It's the city's third-busiest streetcar route, which carries more than 43,000 passengers a day.
Stuart said streetcars are expected to stay off the rails from May 7 until early September.