Toronto St. Clair West Transit Improvements | ?m | ?s | TTC

[DSC]

Isn't the Gunns loop further west than the terminus once was? And I'm wondering whether the "end of the line" here was a vestige of former municipal boundaries...

Transit Toronto says "In 1981, the old Keele Loop was closed, and an additional 1100 feet of double track laid down to the new loop on Maybank (now called Gunns) Avenue.". The history of the 512 streetcar is well worth a read, see Transit Toronto at http://transit.toronto.on.ca/streetcar/4110.shtml

 

[W. K. Lis]

I was just looking at St Clair on Google Maps... I wonder whether the reason that they never took the streetcar west of Gunns Loop is that there's a level crossing on St Clair about halfway between Gunns Rd and Runnymede Rd?

That should be WAS, not is, a level crossing west of Gunns Loop. It was removed early in 2009. No more diesel freight trains crossing St. Clair Avenue West. The road is still pot-holed though, I guess wanting for the higher-ups to make a decision on what to do next.

 

[smallspy]

The road is still pot-holed though, I guess wanting for the higher-ups to make a decision on what to do next.

That section of St. Clair Ave. W. was scheduled to be rebuilt next year, complete with an allowance for a streetcar ROW down the middle.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Komiksulo]

That should be WAS, not is, a level crossing west of Gunns Loop. It was removed early in 2009. No more diesel freight trains crossing St. Clair Avenue West. The road is still pot-holed though, I guess wanting for the higher-ups to make a decision on what to do next.

Looking at the townhouse development on the north side, I wondered how much more life that siding had...

That section of St. Clair Ave. W. was scheduled to be rebuilt next year, complete with an allowance for a streetcar ROW down the middle.

So would that be a median, or what?

 

[Earlscourt_Lad]

Looking at the townhouse development on the north side, I wondered how much more life that siding had.

It was made redundant with the closure of Bunge on the old Swift's site at Keele & St. Clair.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

That should be WAS, not is, a level crossing west of Gunns Loop. It was removed early in 2009. No more diesel freight trains crossing St. Clair Avenue West. The road is still pot-holed though, I guess wanting for the higher-ups to make a decision on what to do next.

i hope they leave that section of track through the grass of runnymede park:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...=8ZcbfWtvCIsKSccTFeUTcg&cbp=12,179.43,,0,9.13

it's a shame that alot of the ROW property was sold off. it would have made a nice pathway.

 

[adma]

That should be WAS, not is, a level crossing west of Gunns Loop. It was removed early in 2009. No more diesel freight trains crossing St. Clair Avenue West. The road is still pot-holed though, I guess wanting for the higher-ups to make a decision on what to do next.

Though are(n't) the tracks still in the street proper? I believe there's some special arrangement that needs to be made to remove tracks from roadways, even when the tracks leading to said roadway crossings have already been removed...

 

[junctionist]

i hope they leave that section of track through the grass of runnymede park:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...=8ZcbfWtvCIsKSccTFeUTcg&cbp=12,179.43,,0,9.13

That's already gone. But I don't see much good in keeping it. The path wouldn't have been too useful. It wouldn't have taken you anywhere several parallel streets very close to each other could not.

Though are(n't) the tracks still in the street proper? I believe there's some special arrangement that needs to be made to remove tracks from roadways, even when the tracks leading to said roadway crossings have already been removed...

Yes, the tracks are still there. Virtually every siding crossing in the area is still intact though the rest of the sidings are nowhere to be found. The crossings are abandoned, forcing drivers to needlessly slow down to ease the impact on the suspension.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

That's already gone. But I don't see much good in keeping it. The path wouldn't have been too useful. It wouldn't have taken you anywhere several parallel streets very close to each other could not.



Yes, the tracks are still there. Virtually every siding crossing in the area is still intact though the rest of the sidings are nowhere to be found. The crossings are abandoned, forcing drivers to needlessly slow down to ease the impact on the suspension.

that's too bad. they should have left a section of track through the park as a reminder of the past. they could have even left a rail car on the section and used it as a stage for small concerts or events in the park.

also, regarding the abandoned bumpy crossings, free speed bumps?

 

[W. K. Lis]

I have noticed diamond signs for streetcars and buses only beside the right-of-way. To me that means, in addition to the 512 streetcars, the 512 St. Clair and 126 Christie buses could be using the right-of-way at this time. Don't know about the 47 Lansdowne buses, if they could use it as well. That's how I read the signs.

More likely, the right-of-way has to be cleaned and cleared of debris first, before any air filled tire transit vehicles could use it.


BTW. Winter starts December 21st at 12:47 P.M. EST (1747 UTC). So the new right-of-way opens on December 20th, still autumn.

 

[drum118]

Dec 18-09: Looked at the Dupont bridge at 2:30 today, the road is still the same.

The only thing I saw different was the removal of the concrete barriers on the south side and the start of the removal on the north side. Pylons are replacing the barriers and this would indicate there is going to be no change in traffic as plan. Will know more when I have a look again on Sat.

Construction work was taking place on the hydro vault after all these months with it been torn up. No way that the northbound lane will be open this weekend. There was a paid officer on duty and there is no need for him in the first place since all the work was been done behind barriers in the first place. He wasn't even at the intersection.

Work was been done on some of the traffic lights along St Clair with some new replacement signs going up at other places. A number of TTC pickups where using the ROW.

The eastbound lane over at Keele St has been rebuilt and pave as plan. Crews were built the curb for the eastbound side and should have it pour by Sat if they don't work late tonight. The lane should be open on Sunday. There enough room on either side of the bridge for buses to get on and off the ROW for the east side.

The westbound lane is pave to Keele St for one lane, but not open with traffic using the ROW for both direction. Still got to build the sidewalk and rest of the lane yet.

The eastbound stop at Old Weston Rd was out of service with no notices that you had to walk 2 blocks to the east to get the bus. No one was happy about that.

The southbound stop on Old Weston Rd is now up by the loop.

Having a close look at the ROW and the westbound lane at Old Weston Rd now they are 100% complete and a number of things stand out more clearly. Northbound trucks over 2 tons are not going to make that left hand turn.

TTC 41's cannot make that right hand turn as well anything over 2 tons into the westbound lane even moving to the #1 lane. The 41's will have a real problem even trying to turn into the ROW from the curb lane. More so if there is a 41N or a streetcar in the ROW in the first place to the point it cannot be done at all.

The 41's have to be move to Weston Rd period.

Notices are finally up along the whole route advising riders of the Dec 20 changes.

Photo Posters were place in the Shelters for Phase II and III about shopping on St Clair for Christmas showing a TTC streetcar on the ROW taken this week. Never check the Northcliffe Shelters to see if all the glass in place and sure it is as only some glass was there on Tuesday.

You can see what I mean about Old Weston Rd intersection in this photo video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ0aJkR7gmo

 

[Jimbits]

Hello everyone. Long-time lurker, first-time poster here. I live right at St. Clair and Old Weston and have been watching the construction occur at my very challenging intersection and the subway/underpass to the west for the last few weeks.

I have noticed diamond signs for streetcars and buses only beside the right-of-way. To me that means, in addition to the 512 streetcars, the 512 St. Clair and 126 Christie buses could be using the right-of-way at this time. Don't know about the 47 Lansdowne buses, if they could use it as well. That's how I read the signs.

More likely, the right-of-way has to be cleaned and cleared of debris first, before any air filled tire transit vehicles could use it.

They could, but chances are they won't. Yes, buses will fit on the raised ROW, as I've (rarely) seen buses ride on it between the two subway stations (although the buses I've seen have always been GM New Looks; is there any significance to that?). Even right now, the 312 St. Clair Blue Night buses ride on the road and never on the ROW.

Also, for the 126 Christie bus, there is a stop sign pole on the north side curb west of Vaughan Road that marks that it's a stop for the 126 and 312, suggesting that the 126 on its westbound/southbound route will exit the ROW at Vaughan.

Having a close look at the ROW and the westbound lane at Old Weston Rd now they are 100% complete and a number of things stand out more clearly. Northbound trucks over 2 tons are not going to make that left hand turn.

TTC 41's cannot make that right hand turn as well anything over 2 tons into the westbound lane even moving to the #1 lane. The 41's will have a real problem even trying to turn into the ROW from the curb lane. More so if there is a 41N or a streetcar in the ROW in the first place to the point it cannot be done at all.

The 41's have to be move to Weston Rd period.

Welcome to the neighbourhood. I don't know what you look like, but from your videos, you've been in the neighbourhood a lot. The next time you're by here, I should invite you for coffee at Coffee House (lol).

I agree about the problem of a turn to the west for big vehicles. I wonder how much of a design issue it was initially to have both platforms on the east side of the intersection instead of having the default farside stops. A few days ago, I saw a TTC supervisor talking to a construction supervisor about the problem the platform posed for the turning 41 Keele buses. What resulted from that was that the TTC supervisor phoned in for the current 41 diversion and a construction worker cut some rebar from the not-yet-complete platform (Why? I'm guessing because it stuck out too much or something).

Although the layout seems to necessitate a permanent diversion of the 41 Keele route to Weston Road, I wouldn't rule out a workaround for the situation. If you've noticed, the stop bar for westbound vehicles emerging from the St. Clair West Station portal is really far back from the intersection. This is a remnant from the time when the 7 Bathurst bus had to enter St. Clair West Station and it allowed the 7 to make that crazy turn without ramming into another vehicle.

My thinking is that southbound 41 buses, since they can't turn south to west into the general-traffic lane, will turn into the ROW, but the stop bar for eastbound vehicles on the ROW approaching Old Weston Road will have to be set back a couple of metres.

 

[maudlin]

Is there any good reason to continue running the 41 down Old Weston? Running down Weston/Keele makes much more sense as there's enough TTC users in the neighbourhood to justify service from both the 89 and 41 all the way south to Keele station.

 

[tkip]

Does mean that...

The Christie 126 bus will no longer make a turn northbound at the corner of Christie and St.Clair and instead make it somewhere else? That turn is tight and the buses are having a nightmare making it on a good day now. A car parked too close to the curb makes it pretty much impossible these days.

 

[SlickFranky]

Took a ride on the new ROW today.

For the record, the 'squiggly' sections were uneventful. No vomiting passengers, no derailments (or explosions).

Can't wait for the new trams now.