Customers who rely on the TTC subway to get around the city might be faced with longer than normal travel times. The TTC announced that, effective Tuesday, trains are running at reduced speeds in restricted speed zones (RSZs) along some high-traffic sections of Lines 1 and 2, including from Museum to Spadina, from King to St Andrew and almost the entirety of Dupont to Sheppard West.
Preventative maintenance work is underway to repair minor track issues in these isolated sections of the subway tracks. In these zones, trains will crawl between 15 and 25 km/h compared to normal operating speeds of 40 to 60 km/h. As of July 30, there were 34 RSZs in place, with most zones ranging from 500-1,000 ft in length.
“This proactive approach allows the transit agency to address potential issues before they escalate into more serious disruptions and to ensure the ongoing safety and dependability of subway service,” the TTC said in a press release on Tuesday.
On Line 1, Vaughan-to-Finch travel times will be, on average, 15 minutes longer than normal. On Line 2, customers will experience longer commutes of approximately three minutes between Kennedy and Coxwell stations.
Once track replacement work is completed, the TTC says that subway commuters can expect improved train speeds and more reliable trip times.
Streets of Toronto reached out to the TTC for confirmation of when the reduced speed zones would end, but did not receive a response in time for publication.
The following Reduced Speed Zones are currently in effect on Lines 1 and 2:
Line 1 (Yonge-University):
- Both ways from St Andrew to Union
- Both ways from St Clair to Davisville
- Both ways from St Clair West to Dupont
- Both ways from Spadina to St George
- Both ways from Wellesley to Bloor
- Both ways from Wilson to Yorkdale
- Both ways from Yorkdale to Lawrence West
- Northbound from Bloor to Rosedale
- Northbound from Museum to St George
- Northbound from St Clair West to Eglinton West
- Northbound from Wilson to Sheppard West
- Southbound from King to Union
- Southbound from Lawrence West to Glencairn
- Southbound from North York Centre to Sheppard
- Southbound from St Clair to Summerhill
Line 2 (Bloor-Danforth):
- Both ways from Victoria Park to Warden
- Both ways from Warden to Kennedy
- Eastbound from Coxwell to Woodbine
- Westbound from Jane to Old Mill
In May, the TTC conducted a comprehensive survey using predictive rail maintenance technology, and they identified multiple points where track infrastructure, such as rail gauge and wear, was outside the TTC’s acceptable standards (hence, the current repairs/RSZs).
Click here for a full list of each RSZ.