Royal Streetcar ride times will be shorter after Toronto transit agents are deployed

Deploying transit agents at major intersections along the King Street transit corridor has “drastically” improved streetcar travel times, and the city plans to expand the program as it works to improve the busy streetcar route, Mayor Olivia Chow said Friday.

“This streetcar is one of the busiest routes in the city. Every day, thousands of people sit in traffic jams on King Street for hours,” Chow told reporters at the intersection of King Street and University Avenue.

Chow called it “infuriating” when the car blocked the intersection and blocked traffic.

In late November of last year, after several high-profile incidents that disrupted streetcar traffic, the city began deploying traffic agents at major intersections along King Street during weekday rush hours to enforce regulations along the King Street transit priority corridor.

“I'm announcing today that traffic agents on King Street will triple the speed of traffic,” Chow said.

During November and December, King streetcar eastbound travel times varied from 45 to 65 minutes between Bathurst and Jarvis Streets when traffic agents were not deployed. According to the city, when traffic agents were mobilized in January, the same trip time was reduced to 17 to 21 minutes.

Although the travel time has increased towards the end of the year, the travel time has increased by several months.

The TTC said in November that streetcar trips on the busy route slowed last year before the line was introduced in 2017.

A year after the King Street pilot project began, a tram journey between Bathurst and Jarvis streets took just 16 minutes in 2018, compared to an average of 26 minutes last year – three minutes longer before the pilot began.

The reason for slowing down the speed is the increase in regular vehicles that violate the rules by driving through the intersections along the corridor.

The city measured 110 violations per hour during peak daytime traffic at the intersection of King and Yonge streets in the final months of 2023, a 57 percent increase over the previous year. Officers also noted a significant increase in violations during the morning rush hour at University, Yonge and Jarvis.

According to Chow, traffic agents stop vehicles from blocking 96 percent of intersections, and also monitor pedestrians and cyclists for compliance.

“We will continue to deploy these excellent traffic agents where they are needed most,” Chow said.

The city currently has 27 traffic agents and plans to add 13 more by March, for a total of 40. Twelve of them are attached to King Street.

The city did not disclose the total cost of the program Friday, but officials said traffic agents typically make $45 an hour and work seven days a week.

“Transit is a big priority for me, so I'm willing to spend the extra dollars to make sure the streetcars are running and there are no roadblocks, rules are followed, and people don't get upset about being stuck. traffic,” Chow said.

In addition to continuing to deploy transit agents, the city is upgrading signals and improving signage to prioritize streetcars.

Roadside platforms are also being upgraded.

“By mid-2024, temporary TTC platforms will be installed at 20 locations along King Street. These platforms will improve safety and help transit riders get on and off streetcars more easily,” the city said in a statement.

Barbara Gray, the city's general manager of transportation services, said driver education and better signage will also be expanded.

“In addition to the progress we've made in the short term with traffic agents here, we'll be making permanent changes to some of the traffic lights to improve what drivers need to do on this corridor. because the rules are very specific,” Gray said.

Chow said he expects several reports to the committee to make the traffic agent program sustainable.

Additionally, the city is still exploring the possibility of adding red light cameras along the route to help deter drivers.

Number. Chris Moise copied a proposal passed by City Council on Nov. 8 asking staff to study the feasibility of implementing automated traffic control along the King Street transit priority corridor. He said that the main route of the tram was “not working” at the time.

Staff were asked to report on tram performance over the past five years and possible improvements to the route in the second quarter of this year.

“I'm looking forward to reporting in the second quarter of the year and moving to a more consistent execution at King Street,” Mozy Chou told Friday. “With so many daily users, the King Street Priority Corridor deserves investment and attention. It needs to serve everyone to the highest standard of efficiency. The results we're seeing today prove how impactful our newly created users are. We'll join forces and allocate resources accordingly.