Toronto

About 25 cars have driven down Queens Quay tunnel tracks since 2014, TTC says

Yet another car drove down the tracks of the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel early Sunday morning, which the TTC says was about the 25th incident it has seen since 2014.

509 Harbourfront and 510 Spadina streetcars were diverted early Sunday morning in latest incident

A man drove his car into the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel on Sunday. (John Hanley/CBC)

Yet another car drove down the tracks of the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel early Sunday morning, which the TTC says was about the 25th incident it has seen since 2014.

TTC spokesperson Jessica Kosmack told CBC Toronto that the number of incidents has been going down and that investigators have carried out a probe each time a similar incident occurs to determine how it happened. 

In the most recent incident, Toronto Fire Services said they were called to the scene around midnight where they found one man in the car. The man did not require medical assistance, a spokesperson for Toronto fire said.

Toronto police traffic services said Sunday night the incident is still under investigation, and that no charges have been laid. 

Video from the incident shows the car had Quebec licence plates.
New streetcars will have extra cameras added due to their large size. (John Hanley/CBC)

Measures taken to stop drivers

Resident Katie Gear was shocked to learn that another car drove into the tunnel on Sunday and said there might be more that could be done to help. 

"People who are visiting, they must not know what to do," she said. "There are really busy times where they should have a policeman directing traffic, that would help."
TTC spokesperson says a number of measures have been taken to prevent drivers from entering the Queens Quay streetcar tunnel. (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

The TTC said it has already taken a number of measures to prevent drivers from entering the tunnel, including posting additional large signs, lowering the pole lights on both sides of the entrance and installing a flashing light on a black-and-yellow striped rectangular pole sign in the centre of the entrance.

"It's a unique space. There aren't subway tunnels like this all over the city, but that is why we've taken these extra measures with the larger signs, the more visible signs," Kosmack said. "I wouldn't say we've done everything we can. There may be more that we can do and hopefully this stops happening."