We are in the final days of Eglinton construction; a bittersweet ending for all

BY ADRIAN REECE

TTC begins scheduling employees to work on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT line on March 30^th. Toronto has been enduring the construction across the city for this new light rail transit line for almost a decade.

As the commission gears up to staff the line, they will train and transition drivers from other modes of transit onto the LRT line to accommodate the need for service.

TTC schedules their routes on the basis of seniority, with the most experienced operators getting first choice on their preferred schedules and routes, so commuters can expect to have experienced drivers operating this new line.

The commission prioritizes fully staffing all lines and routes at all times. If they are placing staff onto this new line, then the ability to ride the LRT across the city to commute to work is on the horizon.

“The LRT construction has become part of our memory growing up.””

With the LRT beginning operation, and manpower being reallocated to the light rail there will be less bus service on those particular routes, however more riders will be accommodated through the use of this new form of regular transit.

The light rail will operate during regular TTC operating hours, allowing riders to reach their destinations without changing their routines to and from work.

Commuters have been waiting for years for access to this new form of transit, however they have been anticipating the end of construction even more. Transforming Eglinton began in 2011, it has now been 14 long years. Many careers have come to an end during the course of building the LRT. People have retired after pouring most of their professional career on this one project, from beginning to end.

Now it is time for the city to enjoy this comfortable form of transportation across the city. From the looks of the line, it will travel both above and below ground, dipping under the streets where able and surfacing were necessary to maintain a smooth ride for passengers.

Training for this line would encompass the standard TTC requirement for a mode of transportation spanning between 25-30 business days, in which anyone attempting must maintain a minimum of 80% across all written and practical tests to be eligible to operate any form of transportation in this city.

This line will be given the same treatment and have the same requirements as other modes. Any bus drivers who transition to operating the LRT, will be able to maintain their CZ license that allows them to operate vehicles the size of the bus.

With the scheduling date firmly situated, there is hope that we will finally have the line up and running, and that construction will end giving commuters and drivers a much-needed break from the delays and the bottlenecks that have plagued this major highway for more than a decade.

The TTC chair has stated that the crosstown will open no earlier than mid 2025. While we are waiting with bated breath, the training date adds validity to the statement, as there has never been a scheduling date for the line before this year.

We are in the final days of Eglinton construction and citizens are excited for multiple reasons, now that we are here the years of waiting will become a relief, or a frustration for commuters after this summer 2025.