TTC swapping 510 Spadina streetcars for buses until December

Riders on one of Toronto's busiest streetcar routes will instead be boarding buses for the next several months.

In a news release issued this week, the TTC announced that starting on June 23, the 510 Spadina Streetcar will be replaced with buses for track repairs and for the "modernization" of overhead power lines. The change will be in effect until December.

"I know many people rely on the Spadina streetcar and construction can be challenging. This is important work that will ensure a safe and reliable TTC service for many years to come," Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement.

The TTC saidworkers will be upgrading the overhead electrical system along the streetcar right-of-way between King Street and Queens Quay, and from College Street to Spadina Station.

Track work will take place at Spadina Station, alongside enabling "future platform extension."

The transit agency saidthat effective June 23, buses will replace the 510 streetcar going both ways on Spadina between Spadina Station and Queens Quay W.

There will be no 510 streetcar service to or from Union Station, so riders heading to or leaving the city's central transit hub will be able to transfer between replacement buses and 509 Harbourfront streetcars at Queens Quay W.

510 bus route will change during afternoon rush hour

From July 8, the 510 bus replacement service willbe modified duringafternoon rush hour"to improve reliability while navigating afternoon gridlock and congestion on the south end of the route," according to a TTC news release on Friday.

From3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, the 510 Spadinabuseswilll not run on Spadina between Front Street W. and Queen's Quay West.

"During these hours, buses will instead turn left on Front Street and then right on Blue Jays Way, looping around back to Spadina Avenue to go north to Spadina Station," the news release said.

Southbound bus operators will announce the turn, allowing customers to exit the bus and walk south on foot if they can, the TTC said.

There will be no 510 service during these hours at stops on Spadina at Fort York Boulevard/Bremner Boulevard, and at Queen's Quay West.

The TTC also said it will increase 509 streetcar service.

"The modernization of the overhead power network on Spadina Ave. is part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and reliable transit system for all TTC riders," said TTC Chair Jamaal Myers in a statement.

"While temporary bus replacements may cause inconvenience, dedicated TTC teams will be working hard to ensure the upgrades are finished on time or ahead of schedule by the end of this year."