Toronto – Streetcar riders travelling along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor have a faster and safer journey following the City of Toronto’s actions to enhance transit service and improve traffic management. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow provided an update on the success of traffic management strategies along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, which were implemented by the City in December 2023 to improve traffic flow and safety for all road users. These strategies include the deployment of dedicated Traffic Agents at the intersections of King Street and University Avenue, York Street, Bay Street, Yonge Street, Church Street and Jarvis Street on weekdays during peak traffic periods.
Reduced travel times
When Traffic Agents are present along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, streetcar travel times between University Avenue and Jarvis Street are approximately 28-44 minutes faster (45-65 minutes total journey time reduced to 17-21 minutes total journey time).
Traffic Agents are empowered to manage traffic at intersections by dynamically directing road users in real-time, enforcing transit priority and restricting motor traffic at most intersections along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, with exceptions for local access. Their actions are further supported by Toronto Police Service officers who work with Traffic Agents to enforce traffic violations at intersections along King Street.
The City will continue to deploy Traffic Agents along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor as needed to manage evolving traffic demands, reduce congestion and ensure safety for all road users.
Additional measures
The City has implemented a number of other traffic management enhancements along the King Street Transit Priority Corridor, including:
- Modifying traffic signal timings to give streetcars more time to travel through intersections.
- Adding dedicated transit signals to reduce the likelihood of motorists accidentally making an illegal movement, such as running a red light during a green transit signal, as well as improving signage and road markings.
- By mid-2024, temporary TTC platforms will be installed at 20 locations along King Street. These platforms will increase safety and help transit riders enter and exit streetcars more easily.
The King Street Transit Priority Corridor
King Street is the TTC’s busiest surface transit route in the city, moving more than 72,000 riders on an average weekday. The King Street Transit Priority Corridor between Bathurst Street and Jarvis Street puts people and transit first and improves transit reliability, speed and capacity.
The King Street Transit Pilot launched in 2017. In 2019, City Council made King Street a permanent Transit Priority Corridor, giving priority to street cars and restricting motor traffic at most intersections, with exceptions for local access. More information is available on the City’s King Street Transit Priority Corridor webpage.
“Saving up to 40 minutes on your commute is no small feat. We’re committed to ensuring all Torontonians have a safer, more efficient journey, which is why we’re implementing smart traffic management strategies, speeding up public transit and investing in infrastructure projects that will get our city back on track.” – Mayor Olivia Chow