As part of RapidTO: Eglinton Avenue East, 8.5-kilometres of priority bus lanes were added along Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue from Brimley Road to the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. To do this, the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on Eglinton Avenue East were converted to priority bus lanes and curbside mixed-traffic lanes on Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue were converted to priority bus lanes.
Priority bus lanes are reserved for TTC buses, Wheel-Trans buses, school buses and bicycles 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and identified using red paint on the road, pavement markings and signage.
In total, the project cost approximately $4 million. There is an annual savings of $2.5 million in operating costs and a one-time capital cost savings of $6.3 million due to decreased travel time and the need for fewer buses to provide the same level of service.
The bus routes on Eglinton Avenue East are among the TTC’s most heavily used, making this roadway the top candidate for the accelerated installation of priority bus lanes based on an assessment of several factors including improvement to transit reliability, available right-of-way and considerations for transportation equity and inclusion of Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
This route serves seven of Scarborough’s eight Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
Providing the priority bus lane advances Action 7.2.1, of the City Council approved Poverty Reduction Strategy 2019-2022 Term Action Plan, to explore bus transit lanes on heavily used bus routes in the inner suburbs to improve speed and reliability of existing transit service.
