Construction of the Finch West LRT is expected to be finished in 2023, four years after the first shovel broke ground.
Metrolinx, the crown agency of the provincial government of Ontario overseeing public transit in the GTA, told Humber’s Et Cetera in an email that the new system will fundamentally transform commuting in the area.
“From students to seniors and everyone in between, the Finch West LRT will fuel the transformation of the community with fast, reliable transit from Humber College to Finch West station,” the statement said.
The LRT will feature 18 stops spread over 11 kilometres of track. Metrolinx said it will provide links to transit in York and Peel regions, as well as Line One of the TTC subway. Metrolinx said not only will this new LRT connect northwest Toronto to other major transit systems, it will also give the area a long-needed economic boost.
The LRT will begin at Finch West subway station and end at Humber College. It will also replace the 36 Finch West bus, one of the GTA’s busiest bus routes. Trains are expected to carry 46,000 passengers per day and an annual ridership estimate of 12 million by 2031.
Ian Crookshank, the Dean of Students at Humber College, expressed the positive changes the LRT will bring.
“We’re excited we’re on the west terminus of Finch West because of what that will bring,” Crookshank said.
He said that an LRT service would be a better option for students coming from that direction than riding a bus that stops at every intersection. He also said the route being connected to the TTC subway would be very beneficial to Humber College.
Crookshank further said the LRT is better from an environmental standpoint, featuring electrified transit rather than fossil fuels.
He also said that graduated students will continue to benefit from it.
“One impact is that the folks who come here to study may not see the benefit of the construction that’s undertaken,” Crookshank said. “The benefit to you as an alumni is that the institution continues to be held in high regard. Your degree or diploma continues to be held in value even if you weren’t here to benefit from the LRT.”
Lovish Mahajan, a business accounting student at Humber College, said there were multiple challenges in riding the bus.
“I often have to wait for a very long time at the bus stop,” Mahajan said. “In poor weather conditions, this is even worse because the shelters are full and you’re outside in the rain.”
“The buses are also very crowded which means I often don’t get a seat and stand for the whole ride,” he said.
During peak hours in the morning and late afternoon, there are frequent delays due to traffic, which adds more pressure to transit lines and commuters.
Yasir Aman, an international student at Humber, has faced these delays during the commute to and from campus.
“Sometimes, the buses are not on time,” Aman said. “And if you miss a bus, it can take half an hour for the next one.”
In contrast, the LRT will offer trains at five-to-seven minute intervals during peak hours, seven-to 10 minutes during off hours, and will be less affected by traffic.
Aman said buses are very time-consuming and are often late due to construction and traffic.
Metrolinx said in its project overview that the expected length of time to ride the entire line is 38 minutes.