Introducing 514 Cherry

TTC launches first new streetcar service in 16 years

The TTC introduced the 514 Cherry streetcar into revenue service on June 19, providing congestion relief to the nearly 65,500 daily riders along King Street – the TTC’s busiest surface route.

The new 514 service connects Cherry Street and the West Don Lands area in the east to Dufferin Street and the Liberty Village area in the west. 514 Cherry streetcars run between Distillery Loop and Dufferin Gate Loop via Cherry/Sumach Streets, King Street and Dufferin Street every eight-to-nine minutes during peak periods, and 15 minutes or better at all other times, all day, every day. The service will be exclusively low-floor by early 2017.

“This is especially good news for the people who ride the congested King streetcar,” said TTC Chair Josh Colle at the official launch from Distillery Loop on June 18. “This service will be overlaid atop the existing 504 King streetcar, along what we know is the busiest route in our city.”

Among the officials attending the official launch and first round trip ride on a new accessible streetcar were: Etobicoke-Lakeshore MPP Peter Milczyn, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Toronto-Danforth MP Julie Dabrusin, TTC Chair Josh Colle, Waterfront Toronto Chief Development Officer Meg Davis and CEO Andy Byford.

“I’m very pleased,” Byford said on the official first trip on accessible car #4421. “This is the kind of imaginative transit planning that our Service Planners are capable of and I credit them for a brilliant idea. Empty streetcars start from Cherry Street and from the other end at Dufferin so you immediately have additional capacity going through that busy corridor on King Street. Plus, with all-door boarding, PRESTO, and stopping left turns on King, we are taking huge initiatives to keep streetcars moving.”

Combined with new bus services (121 Fort York-Esplanade and 72B Pape), the June 19 service board changes will improve connectivity and provide more direct, comfortable, and reliable transit options for growing neighbourhoods. New bus services are:

• 121 Fort York-Esplanade: A new bus route will be operated, serving the southern portion of downtown Toronto. The route will operate between the Fort York Neighbourhood and the Distillery District via Union Station and The Esplanade, with a seasonal extension to Cherry Beach between May and October. This new route will replace 172 Cherry Street service on The Esplanade, Mill Street, and on Cherry Street to Cherry Beach. During the summer, one service will be operated on the 121C (Fort York-Cherry Beach via Union Station and The Esplanade) branch. Service will operate every 15 minutes or better, all day, every day.
• 72B Pape (Pape Station to Union Station via Queens Quay): The 72B Pape bus route will restore direct bus service from Pape Station to the downtown. New service will be operated on Queens Quay East to serve the East Bayfront neighbourhood. Service will also be increased at most times on the 72B, north of Eastern Avenue, to reduce crowding.

The Cherry Street extension is part of Waterfront Toronto’s wider revitalization project, and an integral part of the new West Don Lands community – the first Transit First neighbourhood in Toronto. The extension was based on the goal of having transit access within a five-minute walk of all residences in the West Don Lands and involved extensive public consultation.

“When Waterfront Toronto began planning the West Don Lands, we knew transit would be a key priority in transforming the area into a great new urban community with strong connections to the rest of the city,” said Meg Davis, Waterfront Toronto Chief Development Officer, “After 13 years of planning and construction, we’re thrilled that residents and visitors now have the 514 Cherry streetcar – a convenient, reliable and environmentally sustainable transit service.”

The Cherry Street streetcar extension was funded by the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto and the Government of Canada.

The new streetcar track and overhead infrastructure on Cherry Street is the first new streetcar extension in Toronto since July 2000 when the Queens Quay streetcar connection opened between Spadina and Bathurst.

The TTC opened three significant sections of new streetcar service between 1990 and 2000. The first part of the Harbourfront streetcar opened in June 1990, between Union Station and Queens Quay/Spadina. The Spadina streetcar line opened in July 1997, between Spadina Station and Queens Quay. And the Queens Quay streetcar connection between Spadina and Bathurst opened in July 2000, completing the Harbourfront line between Union Station and Exhibition.