"Toronto City Council finally agrees on designated bus and streetcar lanes along Dufferin and Bathurst Streets"
Toronto, ON - The city is moving forward with plans to implement transit priority lanes on Dufferin Street and streetcar lanes on Bathurst Street, as Toronto City Council has approved the installation and allocated an estimated $8 million in capital funding for the project.
The bus-only lanes on Dufferin Street, running from King Street West to Bloor Street West, and the streetcar-only lanes on Bathurst Street, from Lake Shore Boulevard West to Bloor Street West (except for a segment near Toronto Western Hospital undergoing construction), are expected to be completed by spring 2026, with construction set to begin in fall 2025.
These lanes serve busy routes: the 29 and 929 buses on Dufferin carry over 40,000 riders daily, and the 511 streetcar on Bathurst serves more than 15,000 riders daily. The aim is to reduce transit commute times significantly and improve reliability, with projected bus travel time savings of about 29% during peak hours and a 14% increase in reliability.
However, the project also involves the removal of 75 parking spaces on Dufferin and 277 on Bathurst, which has raised concerns among residents and businesses. Mayor Olivia Chow acknowledged these concerns, particularly regarding on-street parking, accessibility for disabled individuals, loading zones for small businesses, and pick-up locations.
The improvements are part of the RapidTO initiative, strategically timed to be operational before the 2026 FIFA World Cup to facilitate smoother travel around Exhibition Place and surrounding areas. The motion approved during Wednesday's meeting includes a directive for staff to report back after the World Cup with recommendations for the next steps for future implementation of dedicated transit lanes on Dufferin and Bathurst between Bloor Street and Eglinton Avenue.
Andrew Pulsifer, the executive director of TTCriders, expressed that implementing these lanes will make transit more reliable and encourage more people to use public transportation instead of driving. TTCriders also emphasized that transit users will continue to advocate for common-sense solutions like dedicated transit lanes.
The transit lanes on Dufferin Street will be located south of Bloor Street, with the curbside lanes being converted to priority bus lanes. On Bathurst Street, the centre lanes will be changed to priority streetcar lanes. The initial plan for dedicated transit lanes on Dufferin and Bathurst streets included extending them as far north as Eglinton Avenue West, but this was scaled back due to opposition from businesses and neighborhood groups.
Mayor Olivia Chow advocated for the installation of the lanes, citing the need for Toronto to catch up with other big cities. A Toronto transit advocacy group praised the approval of dedicated transit lanes, stating that it is a significant step forward. The RapidTO surface transit network plan, which aims to enhance bus and streetcar service, has been in place since 2019.
In light of the RapidTO initiative, an estimated $8 million in capital funding has been allocated for the installation of transit priority lanes on Dufferin Street and streetcar lanes on Bathurst Street. These changes, scheduled to be completed by spring 2026, are part of a larger strategy to improve public-transit reliability, with the finance sector likely to support such measures that encourage more people to utilize public transportation instead of personal vehicles. The implementation of these transportation solutions is also crucial for facilitating smoother travel, especially during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, via the removal of parking spaces and conversion of curbside lanes to bus-only lanes on Dufferin Street and center lanes to streetcar-only lanes on Bathurst Street.
