Yonge-University-Spadina (TTC)
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| Yonge-University-Spadina Line | |
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| A subway train waits for passengers at Bloor-Yonge station. | |
| Info | |
| Type | Rapid transit |
| System | Toronto subway and RT |
| Locale | Toronto, Ontario |
| Terminals | Finch Downsview |
| No. of stations | 32 |
| Daily ridership | 646,860 (avg. weekday) [1] |
| Operation | |
| Opened | March 30, 1954 |
| Owner | Toronto Transit Commission |
| Operator(s) | Toronto Transit Commission |
| Rolling stock | RT75 T1, RT75 H5 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 30.2 km (18.8 mi) |
| Gauge | 4 ft 10⅞ in (1,495 mm) |
| Electrification | Third rail |
The Yonge-University-Spadina Line is the oldest subway line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and undoubtedly, the most crowded subway line in Toronto, since it serves Downtown Toronto. It is operated by the Toronto Transit Commission, has 32 stations and is 30.2 km (18.8 miles) in length. It opened in 1954, and had extensions completed in 1963, 1973, 1974, 1978, and 1996. North York Centre station opened on an existing section of line in 1987.
The line's name has changed as it was extended. It was simply the Yonge subway until 1963, then the Yonge-University Line until 1978, when the Spadina section was added. Although only two stations are actually on Spadina Road, a larger portion of the line was originally planned to follow the Spadina Expressway. The part of the expressway that was actually built was renamed William R. Allen Road, but the name of the line was never adjusted. It is also numbered as Route 1 (formerly route 601), but its route number is used by the TTC predominantly for internal purposes and is rarely used by the public or on TTC maps.
The subway runs from approximately 6:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. on Sunday. The subway runs every 4-5 minutes, with frequent service (2-3 minutes) during rush hour periods. Note: There is limited service (5 minutes) northbound from St. Clair West station from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Monday to Friday.
The 320 Yonge bus provides late night service when the subway is not in operation. This service operates frequently from along Yonge between Steeles to Union Station. No bus service follows the University-Spadina line, though other night bus services, such as 311 Bathurst pass near some of the stations. Bus service is extended on Sundays to account for the 9:00 start.
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[edit] History
On 30 March 1954, after five years of work, the first subway in Canada opened to the public.[1][2] The original Yonge Street subway line went from Union Station north to Eglinton station. Premier Leslie Frost and Mayor Allan Lamport, among other important persons, rode the first train that morning, going north from the yards at Davisville station, and then from Eglinton south along the entire line. The line was then opened to the public, and that day at 2:30 p.m., the last streetcar to travel Yonge Street made its final trip.
Nine years later, the University segment of the line opened, continuing the line from Union north to St. George station.
In 1973, the line was extended north to York Mills station, and the next year to Finch station. Stations were also planned for Glencairn (between Eglinton and Lawrence), Glen Echo (between Lawrence and York Mills) and Empress (between Sheppard and Finch - later opened as North York Centre station). In 1978, the Spadina segment of the line was opened, going from the north terminus of the University line to Wilson station.
In 1987, the North York Centre station was added between Sheppard and Finch stations.
On August 11, 1995 at 3:20 p.m., a southbound subway train heading toward Dupont Station crashed under Russell Hill, killing three passengers. This accident, called the Russell Hill subway accident prompted the Toronto Transit Commission to review its practices and put its resources into safety.
In 1996, the Spadina expansion was opened, adding one new station, Downsview.
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[edit] Future expansions
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This article or section contains information about a planned or expected public transportation infrastructure in Canada. It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change dramatically as the construction and/or completion of the infrastructure approaches, and more information becomes available. |
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[edit] Spadina expansion
Construction is starting on an extension to York University northwest of Downsview station, and into the city of Vaughan to the proposed Vaughan Corporate Centre. Six new stations are planned along the 8.7 km extension (6.2 km in the City of Toronto and 2.5 km in York Region). The estimated cost of this extension is $2.09 billion in 2006$, which will have escalated to $2.63 billion considering costs at year of occurrence. [3] The current Ontario government has committed $670 million in its March 23, 2006 budget, which is about one-third of the expected $2 billion cost. The other two-thirds of the money come from the federal and municipal governments (Toronto and York Region). In the meantime, a temporary busway is planned between Downsview station and the campus. See the link below.
The TTC is estimating that service will start in late 2014 or early 2015.[4] The first construction contract was awarded on February 27, 2008.[5]
Upon completion of the Spadina Subway Extension into York Region, it has been proposed that the subway be renamed "Yonge-University" to simplify the route name (as the subway only runs on Spadina Road for a short section) and to reflect that the line will connect three of Toronto's universities (University of Toronto, York University and Ryerson University).[verification needed]
This extension has been very maligned in the press for a number of reasons. Currently, the area around the planned Vaughan Corporate Centre is occupied by a number of big-box stores, and the ridership to and from York University can be handled into the distant future by a planned busway there from Downsview Station.
[edit] Yonge expansion
Proposals have also been put forward to extend the Yonge Street portion of the line beyond Finch to Steeles and into York Region, most likely ending at the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal of Viva (bus rapid transit). On June 15, 2007 the Ontario government announced plans to fund this extension as part of a vast network of rapid transit growth in the form of MoveOntario 2020.[6]
Although completion of this subway expansion is many years away, a local group in York Region is lobbying for the cancellation of the planned busway along this route[7], which would be a part of York Region's Viva bus rapid transit.
Although this extension is the most justifiable, there is a reason it will not be built just yet. The Yonge portion of the subway line operates at capacity during the morning rush hour, and could not carry the additional riders attracted to this extension. Once a new signal system is in place, the TTC will be able to increase the frequency of trains from 2 min 30 seconds to every 90 seconds, allowing capacity for this extension.
[edit] Stations
The line forms a rough U-shape. Its western leg starts at the northern terminus at Downsview station, at Sheppard Avenue and W.R. Allen Road ("Allen Road"). The line follows the Allen Road, which becomes a small expressway, travelling in its median for 6 km (3.8 miles). Continuing southeast below the Cedarvale and Nordheimer Ravines, it turns south under a short stretch of Spadina Road. After sharing the Bloor-Danforth Line's Spadina and St. George stations, it turns south again under Queen's Park, passing to one side of the legislature, and running the full length of University Avenue beyond. It turns east on Front Street to serve Union Station, Toronto's main railway terminus, and then north.
The eastern leg runs straight up Yonge Street for 16 km (10 miles), crossing the Bloor-Danforth Line again at Bloor-Yonge and the Sheppard Line at Sheppard-Yonge, before reaching its northern terminus at Finch station.
The line is generally underground, but has several surface or elevated sections between Downsview and Eglinton West, and between Bloor and Eglinton; some portions of the section between Bloor and Eglinton were originally open and have since been covered over to permit other uses above the tracks. Sections between Bloor and the track short of Summerhill, and between St. Clair and Eglinton remain in their original open state. Between Summerhill and St. Clair, the track was originally open, but has since been covered. Evidence of this can be found in the tunnel; there are no columns or walls between tracks, and there are ballast and drainage ditches present in the tunnel - something unseen in the rest of the subway system. There are also clues outdoors; there are seemingly useless railings along the sides of a nearby street which was once on an exposed bridge, and there are empty lots following the trains' right of way marked with signs telling heavy vehicles/equipment to keep off because they might fall through the columnless tunnel below.
Most of the tunnel was constructed by cut-and-cover, but some was bored, as noted below. All stations, whether by transfer or fare-paid terminal, connect to surface TTC bus and/or streetcar routes. Other surface and train connections are noted below.
As of February 2007, a number of stations have elevators for wheelchair access. By the end of 2009, wheelchair-accessible elevators will be added at Lawrence West, and North York Centre stations. Museum station could also become accessible by as early as 2009.
The preferred alignment and placement for four stations for the proposed "Spadina North" extension beyond Downsview station to serve York University was finalized in September 2005. Six stations are planned: the tentative name for the new terminus is "Vaughan Corporate Centre", with intermediate stations called "Highway 407 Transitway", "Steeles West", "York University", "Finch West", and "Sheppard West". If built, this extension would likely replace the portion of York Region Transit's Viva Orange bus rapid transit line that currently covers the Downsview — York University route.
[edit] Voice automation system
This subway line uses an automated voice system on board its trains to announce each stop as the train arrives. However, while the automated announcement systems on TTC buses and streetcars are both audible and visible, it is not until new subway trains arrive in 2009 that the subway will provide audible and visible automated stop announcements.
[edit] Automatic train control
The TTC estimates that automatic train control on the Yonge-University-Spadina Line could be installed by 2016. When this system is installed, the TTC will be able to run trains as often as every 90 seconds. Currently, the limit of the signal system is every 150 seconds, the interval at which trains currently operate at rush hours.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Significant dates in Canadian railway history. Colin Churcher's Railway Pages (17 March 2006). Retrieved on March 29, 2006.
- ^ City of Toronto (2006). Toronto Transit Commission - History. Retrieved on March 29, 2006.
- ^ TTC (2008-03-05). Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension Project Delivery Strategy Process. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ TTC. Spadina Subway Extension FAQ. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ TTC. Spadina Subway Extension February 2008 Update. Retrieved on 2008-03-31.
- ^ Government of Ontario (2007). MoveOntario 2020 Projects Retrieved on October 14, 2007.
- ^ Yorkregion.com - Editorials - Don't count on Yonge subway just yet
[edit] External links
- TTC website
- TTC Transit City LRT proposal
- Spadina line extension
- Transit Toronto (not affiliated with the Toronto Transit Commission)
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