STAFF REPORT

November 9, 1999

To: Etobicoke Community Council

From: John W. Thomas, P. Eng., MBA

Works and Emergency Services

Subject: Toronto Transit Commission

2000 Service Plan

All Wards

Purpose:

To advise Etobicoke Community Council of the public transit service changes in District 2 described in the Toronto Transit Commission's "2000 Service Plan."

Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

There are no financial implications resulting from the adoption of this report.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

Transportation Services Division staff and the Toronto Transit Commission examine the viability, and costs associated, with a "bus only" connection from Richview Road to Eglinton Avenue West, and to report to Etobicoke Community Council on the results of this investigation.

Background:

The results of the Toronto Transit Commission's review of transit service improvements for District 2 are contained in their September 1999 report entitled "2000 Service Plan". (Attachment No. 1) The Plan was forwarded to City Councillors, with a request for comments on the proposed service changes by 10 November 1999. The results of this consultation will be presented to the Commission on 8 December 1999.

The TTC anticipates that the service improvements described in the 2000 Service Plan will improve service for approximately 300,000 customer-trips annually, and will increase ridership by approximately 55,000 customer-trips each year. The Plan introduces these recommended changes for a trial period, with a post-implementation review occurring six months after the changes are made.

Comments:

The following summarises the 2000 Service Plan recommendations for public transit routes in District 2.

1. Recommended New and Revised Services

a) Lester B. Pearson International Airport - New Service from Kipling Station

This new service introduces a connection between Kipling Station and Terminals 2 and 3 at Lester B. Pearson International Airport, via Aukland Road, Dundas Street West and Highway No.427. It will operate during weekday peak periods. Buses will serve the existing TTC stops at Kipling Station and Dundas Street West/The East Mall, and the airport arrival levels at Terminals 2 and 3.

The TTC forecasts that the new route will generate approximately 310 customer-trips, with nearly one-half being trips new to the TTC.

b) 80 Queensway - Increase Service Levels

The TTC examined ridership data on the 80 Queensway, 110 Islington South and 311 Islington routes to determine if service levels need to be increased to accommodate new development along The Queensway, specifically the proposed "Cineplex" theatre complex at the southwest corner of Islington Avenue and The Queensway. The Plan reports that there is no overcrowding on these routes at present, but that service levels will be evaluated, and adjusted if necessary, as part of the TTC's monitoring process.

c) 73 Royal York - Revised looping at Dixon Road

During the evening on Saturday, Sunday and holidays, the route 73A Royal York bus turns back to Royal York Road from Dixon Road by running south on Roxaline Street, then west on Royaleigh Avenue. To provide better customer service and shorter waiting times, this routing will be eliminated. Buses will turn back to Royal York Road by travelling east on Dixon Road, south on Scarlett Road, then west to Royal York Road along Lawrence Avenue.

d) 37A Islington - Sunday and holiday evening service on Rexdale Boulevard

The 37A Islington route currently operates Monday to Saturday between 6:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m., and from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sundays. The TTC proposes that Sunday and holiday service operate until 1:00 a.m. The TTC anticipates that the new service will create approximately 280 customer-trips. More than two-thirds of these customer-trips will be new to the TTC.

e) 112 West Mall - Monday to Friday evening service to Disco Road

The TTC proposes that the 112 West Mall bus service to Disco Road operate with service every thirty minutes between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. The route currently operates during weekday peak and midday periods only. Ninety customer-trips will be generated by this proposal; one-half consisting of trips new to the TTC.

6. Service Changes to Improve Financial Performance

a) 110 Islington South

Since September 1999, vehicle headways on the 110 Islington South route during the Monday to Friday morning peak period have increased from five minutes to six minutes. Starting in January 2000, vehicle headways on the 110A Islington South bus route will increase from thirty minutes to sixty minutes between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. on weekdays.

b) 30 Lambton

Starting in January 2000, vehicle headways during weekday a.m. and p.m. peak periods will increase from twenty minutes to thirty minutes.

c) 46 Martin Grove

Starting in January 2000, vehicle headways after 10:00 p.m. on Sundays will increase from thirty minutes to forty minutes.

d) 112 West Mall

Effective January 2000, buses north of Renforth Drive/International Boulevard will operate north only on Skyway Avenue, Attwell Drive and Brockport Drive, west on Disco Road, and south on Carlingview Drive, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekdays.

5. Changes Already Approved but not yet Introduced

a) 73 Royal York - Service on Richview Road

In the "1999 Service Plan" the TTC approved a recommendation to introduce weekday peak period service on La Rose Avenue, between Royal York Road and Scarlett Road, and along Richview Road. Bus service on La Rose Avenue started in May 1999, but only after road improvements were made that significantly increased the northbound to eastbound turning radius at the south approach to the signalised intersection of La Rose Avenue/ Royal York Road. This improvement was required to accommodate the bus turning path.

As described in the 1999 and 2000 Service Plans, the TTC's 73 Royal York bus service is proposed to run westbound on Richview Road, accessing westbound Eglinton Avenue West through a "bus only" connection. Richview Road currently ends in a cul-de-sac at its west limit, and the existing bus service operates south on Scarlett Road to Eglinton Avenue West, then west along Eglinton Avenue West to southbound Royal York Road.

In our 6 November 1998, report to Etobicoke Community Council concerning the 1999 Service Plan, we stated that there were "...no immediate plans (or programming) to connect Richview Road with Eglinton Avenue West; the bus service would therefore have to operate via Eglinton Avenue West." It should be noted that in 1984, Council for the former City of Etobicoke authorised staff to explore the possibility of connecting Richview Road with Eglinton Avenue West as a means of accommodating future area traffic volumes (Attachment No. 2); however, this proposal never advanced beyond the preliminary stage. While the connection has merits from a traffic operations perspective, there have been no requests from Richview Road residents to open the road to through traffic.

Creating a new access to Eglinton Avenue West from Richview Road provides a convenient alternative route around the Eglinton Avenue West/Scarlett Road intersection, not only for the TTC but for the motoring public as well; consequently, we anticipate that restricting this proposed access to TTC vehicles only will be difficult to enforce, and that compliance will probably be minimal. A centre median on Eglinton Avenue West is required to prohibit unauthorised turning movements near the proposed access. To accommodate the bus turning path also requires that we increase the corner radius at the northwest corner of Richview Road and Scarlett Road.

There is no funding for these improvements in the 2000 capital budget, and the project will have to be included in the capital budget for 2001.

As indicated previously, it is not unlikely that the public will use this connection as an alternative means of vehicle access to westbound Eglinton Avenue West. Should this occur, Etobicoke Community Council will have to decide whether to open Richview Road to through traffic. This option requires approval under the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment provisions of The Environmental Assessment Act.

2. Proposals Requiring Further Action

a) 37A Islington - Operate via Woodbine Racetrack

To reduce their customer's walking distance, TTC staff are examining a proposal to reroute the 37A Islington bus to provide service directly into Woodbine Racetrack. This proposal is still under analysis. Discussions with Woodbine Racetrack are underway to locate and design a bus loop on the Racetrack's property.

b) 58 Malton and 307 Eglinton West - Service to Pearson Airport Terminal 3

TTC staff examined rerouting the 58 Malton and 307 Eglinton West buses to provide a new service to Terminal 3. While the TTC's analysis showed that the new service could generate approximately 275 customer-trips daily, it inconveniences approximately 4,300 p.m. peak period customer-trips on the rest of the 58 Malton route. The TTC emphasises, however, that redevelopment and expansion of the terminal facilities at Lester B. Pearson International Airport requires new ridership projections. TTC staff and representatives of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority will meet to determine if more accurate data is available.

c) 58 Malton - Saturday Service to Westwood Mall

The Plan recommends that service to Westwood Mall (at Morning Star Drive and Goreway Drive in the City of Mississauga) on the 58 Malton bus route is provided on Saturdays between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. The present bus service operates Monday to Friday only.

The TTC indicates that the projected fare revenues will not cover the cost of providing the new service, and that approval will be conditional upon satisfactory funding arrangements with the City of Mississauga to cover the TTC's operating costs.

4. Other Proposals Examined and Not Recommended

a) Bethridge Road - New Service

The Plan examined a proposal to introduce a bus route on Bethridge Road by rerouting the 45 and 45A Kipling routes; however, a financial assessment of these two options showed that the changes were not cost effective, and the service is not recommended.

b) Claireport Crescent - New Service

The Plan examined a proposal for bus service in the Claireport Crescent area of north Etobicoke. Extending the 73 Royal York and 60 Steeles West routes to provide weekday peak period service was examined by TTC staff; however, it is not being recommended. A financial assessment showed that the proposed route will not be cost effective, and results in increased customer waiting time.

c) 36 Finch West - Service on Humber College Boulevard

A proposal to reroute the 36 Finch West bus to provide service on Finch Avenue, John Garland Boulevard, Humber College Boulevard, Humberline Drive/ Humberwood Boulevard to the bus loop south of Upper Humber Drive, is not recommended in the Plan. The TTC's analysis showed that the proposed service was an overall inconvenience for customers.

d) Trehorne Drive - New Service

A request to route the 52 Lawrence West bus along Trehorne Drive during weekday peak periods was examined by the TTC. Their analysis showed that the proposal will cause an overall inconvenience to customers, especially with regard to longer in-vehicle travel time, and the service is not recommended.

5. Post-implementation Reviews of Service Changes

a) 37A Islington - Service on Queen's Plate Drive

In February 1998, the 37A Islington bus route was changed to operate via Queen's Plate Drive. Northbound buses run west on Rexdale Boulevard; north, west and south on Queen's Plate Drive to Rexdale Boulevard; then westbound on Rexdale Boulevard to Humberwood Loop. Eastbound/southbound buses run east on Rexdale Boulevard; north, east and south on Queen's Plate Drive to Rexdale Boulevard; and continue east on Rexdale Boulevard. The TTC reports that these changes resulted in better customer service at no increase in cost. The service is recommended as a regular route.

b) 96B Wilson - Revised Routing on Humberline Drive

In February 1998, the 96B Wilson bus route was rerouted to operate on Humberline Drive, between Finch Avenue West and Humber College Boulevard. The TTC's analysis showed that the change improved service for passengers on Humberline Drive, between Finch Avenue and Humber College Boulevard, without significant impact on transit ridership or walking distances along the rest of the route. The Plan recommends that the service become a regular part of the TTC system.

c) 96E Wilson Express - Revised Routing on Elmhurst Drive

In September 1998, the TTC rerouted the 96E Wilson Express bus route to operate on Elmhurst Drive only, between Islington Avenue and Brookmere Road. Service was discontinued on Hinton Road and Harefield Road. The TTC's analysis showed that the change reduced passenger in-vehicle travel time for approximately 950 daily customer-trips, compared to just 60 daily customer-trips where service declined. The Plan recommends that the service become a regular part of the TTC system.

Conclusions:

With the exception of the proposed "bus only" connection from westbound Richview Road to westbound Eglinton Avenue West, the improvements to TTC service in District 2 described in the 2000 Service Plan require no significant capital funding. The TTC expects that these improvements will increase the transit system's service levels, financial performance, and ridership.

The TTC's proposal to introduce a "bus only" connection from Richview Road to Eglinton Avenue West requires further analysis by both this Division and the TTC concerning traffic safety, cost and long-term operational impacts. This item will be the subject of a separate report to Etobicoke Community Council.

Contact:

Allan Smithies, Manager, Traffic Planning/R-O-W Management, District 2

(416) 394-8412; Fax 394-8942

John W. Thomas, P. Eng., MBA

Director, Transportation Services - District 2

AS/c

File Path: C:\in\IT009

List of Attachments:

1. TTC 2000 Service Plan

2. Proposed connection of Richview Road/Eglinton Avenue West by former City of Etobicoke Council