TTC signal upgrade work to close University portion of subway on multiple weekends in March
The Toronto Transit Commission will conduct major re-signalling work on the University portion (St George to Union stations) of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line over four weekends this March. The re-signalling modernizes the TTC signals, relays, wiring and cabling equipment, much of which was originally installed when the University line opened 50 years ago on February 28, 1963 (see attached fact sheet).
The renewal of the subway signalling system is a major state-of-good-repair project. The TTC is upgrading its infrastructure across the system to ensure it can continue to deliver safe, reliable service to its 1.7 million daily customers.
The work is scheduled to take place on the following weekend dates:
- Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3.
- Sunday, March 10 (starting Saturday, March 9 at midnight).
- Sunday, March 17 (starting Saturday, March 16 at midnight).
- Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24.
Regular subway service will resume each Monday at 6 a.m.
On these weekend dates, subway trains will terminate at St George and Union stations. A frequent, accessible bus service will operate every three to five minutes.
Due to construction on Front St. W. the shuttle bus will not service Union Station. Instead, it will run between St George Station and St Andrew Station on the University line and King Station on the Yonge line.
The shuttle bus routing during these closures is:
- Southbound from St George Station (south side platform, normally reserved for 26 Dupont buses) – south on Bedford Rd., east on Bloor St., south on Queen’s Park, south on University Ave., east on King St., north on Church St., west on Richmond St., south on Victoria St., east on Adelaide St. to northbound routing.
- Northbound from Adelaide St. – south on Church St., west on King St., north on University Ave., north on Queen’s Park, west on Bloor St., north on St. George St., offloading customers at the St George Station entrance, continuing north on St. George St., east on Prince Arthur Ave. to enter St George Station.
To accommodate surface travel between the University and Yonge subway lines, service frequency on the 505 Dundas route will be improved by adding four more streetcars between 8 p.m. and 1:45 a.m. The additional streetcars will run via the following routing:
- Eastbound from McCaul St. – east on Dundas St., south on Church St., west on Queen St., north on Victoria St. to westbound routing.
- Westbound from Victoria St. – west on Dundas St., north on Spadina Ave., east on College St., south on McCaul St. to eastbound routing.
With elevators at St George Station undergoing a major overhaul, the TTC will have Wheel-Trans buses stationed at Bathurst, Eglinton West and Union subway stations to accommodate seniors and persons with disabilities who use wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility aids.