Toronto Transit Commission staff are recommending the closure of Line 3 Scarborough RT in 2023 due to increasing infrastructure failures.
According to a report going to the TTC board for consideration on Wednesday, staff strongly recommended implementing new and revised bus services in central Scarborough until the Line 2 subway extension opens, which is scheduled for 2030.
Staff said factoring in life-cycle costs, the TTC would need $522.4 million to keep trains operating until the extension opening — something staff are not recommending. They also said there would still be a “high risk” of not having the trains operate as required.
“As the overall vehicle reliability continues to degrade with equipment failures, it would result in more frequent and unscheduled service interruptions, negatively impacting service level,” the report released on Thursday said.
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“Consequently, sufficient trains may not be available to provide the required service and passenger crowding would get progressively worse over time to a point where it may not meet the minimum service level.”
The five-station, 6.4-kilometre Scarborough RT line, which runs above ground between Kennedy subway station and McCowan Road past Scarborough Town Centre, first opened in 1985 and was only designed to operate for 25 years. In 2019, it was estimated that approximately 35,000 passengers a day used Line 3 and 75 per cent of those passengers passed through Kennedy and Scarborough Centre stations.
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Overhauls began in 2012 to extend the life of the RT so it could be used for the 2015 Pan Am Games. The TTC did a second, more extensive overhaul of equipment beginning in 2018 to keep the line operating, including address “major” train structural issues.
Extreme temperatures and inclement weather, combined with failing equipment, have meant dozens of days of speed restrictions and reduced train intervals.
TTC staff were working to keep the line open until 2026, which was in line with the previously forecast opening of the Scarborough subway extension. However, changing transit plans and other delays have pushed the anticipated opening to 2030.
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On Wednesday, the TTC board is being asked to consider two options for providing bus service as of 2023.
The first option would see new, dedicated buses begin to service the corridor at a higher, upfront cost, which wouldn’t impact the existing bus network.
The second option would see taking buses from the existing spare bus ratio until new buses could be purchased between 2027 and 2029, reducing the number of buses available should there be a need during subway line failures or other events impacting TTC service.
In terms of what the Line 3 replacement bus service would look like, details are set to be released later in 2021. Staff are looking at implementing express bus service on a yet-to-be-determined route between Kennedy and Scarborough Centre stations as well as rejigging existing bus routes to service Lawrence East, Ellesmere and Midland stations.
Staff asked the board to have until the summer to come back with a preferred bus option.
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