The TTC’s Queen Street replacement buses have headed back to the transit shelter as the 501 and 301 streetcars return on a new detoured route.
The streetcar service was restored on Sunday after having earlier been affected by the ongoing Ontario Line construction.
Both the 501 and 301 streetcars will take shorter detours using newly built tracks to divert from the construction at Queen and Yonge streets.
The westbound streetcars will divert from Queen Street East to travel south on Church Street, west on Richmond Street and north on York Street. The transit route will then return to Queen.
Eastbound, the streetcars will divert south on York Street, east on Adelaide Street and north on Church Street before arriving back to Queen.
Connections to both sides of Line 1 at Osgoode and Queen stations, as well as King Station, will be maintained by the streetcar’s new route.
The 501 and 301 streetcars will continue to divert around the Ontario Line construction between Queen and Victoria streets. Replacement buses are no longer required.
In a press release, the TTC said the new streetcar tracks will help with handling future unplanned service changes and events in the downtown core. The infrastructure will remain even after the Ontario Line is completed.
Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement the Queen Street streetcar restoration “will make it easier for residents to navigate the downtown core.”
TTC Interim CEO Greg Percy said the restoration “not only allows for an uninterrupted customer journey but also improves efficiency for customers.”
The Ontario Line will be a 15.6-kilometre long line of transit spanning 15 stops. The route will run from Exhibition Place, through the heart of downtown and all the way to the Eglinton Crosstown LRT at Don Mills Road.
Construction for the Ontario Line was initially expected to conclude in 2027 but has since been pushed back to 2031.
