Construction is well underway for the Scarborough Subway extension and the TTC is implementing new interim bus routes for commuters.
The subway extension will eventually replace the current Line 3 Scarborough from Kennedy Station to McCowan Road for around 17 km, fixing its operating concerns according to Metrolinx.
Modern tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and skilled employees will oversee the tunnelling operations as they build the subsurface infrastructure required for the next subway line. TBMs will be used to excavate the tunnels, assuring accuracy and security throughout the building process, according to Metrolinx.
Jonah Nirmal, an international student at Centennial College, said the subway which closes Nov. 19 was a direct connection from his home to college and a bus route would be “extremely exhausting and long.”
The SRT will be decommissioned in 2023 due to a multitude of difficulties maintaining its functioning.
The main difficulties according to the TTC consist of:
Accessibility: By 2025, every TTC station and vehicle must comply with the AODA. The stations at Lawrence East, Ellesmere, Midland, and McCowan are not yet barrier-free.
Aging cars: The 2010 retirement date for the SRT vehicles was planned. They have already exceeded their 25-year design life by 10 years.
Maintenance: The SRT cars are getting harder to maintain, their dependability keeps getting worse, and it’s getting harder to locate components.
Reliability of service: Due to technological difficulties, the SRT’s service was cut in half from its peak in the fall of 2020. There aren’t enough spare trains, which makes it difficult to maintain dependable service standards and further compromises service reliability.
Noella D’souza, a regular Line 3 commuter expressed her concerns over the bus route that will be implemented in place of Line 3.
“I’m worried that the bus frequency will cause an issue and the delays will impact my schedule,” she said,
“As of now there are constant bus delays, it would be frustrating if it continues especially considering that the subway is way faster than buses,” D’souza said.
However, TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said there will be multiple bus stops near the subway route.
“There will be frequent bus service and transit priority measures like dedicated lanes and signalling to ensure the wait time is less if not equal to the subway wait time,” he said.
“Additionally there will be changes to numerous bus routes in the surrounding area,” Green said.
For more information about the bus routes and the Scarborough Subway Extension project, please click on the following links, TTC and Metrolinx.