Many commuters along the Eglinton Crosstown corridor are adjusting their travel routines to make the most of the new Line 5 Eglinton LRT. Despite ongoing service optimizations, some Toronto residents are already experiencing time savings on their journeys.
CityNews recently caught up with passengers at Avenue station, just a day after the launch of the 19-kilometre, 25-stop Line 5 Eglinton. Riders are thrilled with the quicker commute times, with one commuter mentioning a significant reduction from one hour to just 30 minutes between Mount Dennis and Avenue stations using the LRT.
Early feedback from transit enthusiasts and curious travelers who rode Line 5 Eglinton during its initial days has been positive. However, concerns have been raised about delays on the above-ground sections of the line, where trains don’t have priority at intersections.
To address this issue, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and council members have approved measures to implement transit signal priority at key intersections to enhance the flow of trains and reduce overall travel times.
While the TTC is currently in a phased opening stage to ensure smooth operations, the speed of trains in tunnels is temporarily restricted to 60 km/h. As crews become more acquainted with the system, speeds are expected to increase to 80 km/h, optimizing the efficiency of the service.
Before the launch of Line 5 Eglinton, TTC officials estimated a travel time of 55 to 59 minutes between the western Mount Dennis station and the eastern Kennedy station, compared to a potential 105-minute bus journey. CityNews conducted a test to verify these estimates on the first weekday of Line 5 Eglinton’s operation.
During the test, a CityNews reporter and camera operator embarked on separate journeys from Kennedy station, with the reporter taking the train and the operator driving a car. The reporter’s train journey matched the estimated duration, clocking in at 55 minutes, while the car ride took 47 minutes.
Further testing during the lunch period revealed some challenges with boarding buses due to a lack of signage and confusion among TTC personnel. The camera operator’s eastbound car trip encompassed the entire Eglinton Crosstown route in 52 minutes, while the reporter encountered delays, resulting in a longer travel time of 1 hour and 27 minutes.