Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension scheduled to open in mid-December

GlobalNews.ca, BlogTO.com and InsideToronto.com
Sept. 5, 2017
Nick Westoll

The Toronto Transit Commission’s six-stop, 8.6-kilometre extension subway extension of the western part of Line 1 is on schedule to open before the end of the year, the transit agency’s CEO said Tuesday.

“As of today, we are 103 days away from the first day of revenue service of the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE),” Andy Byford said during a board meeting.

However, there was an important caveat in Byford’s announcement on the Dec. 17 launch.

“There is a huge amount to do before then,” he said, adding work is still continuing on the new Finch West station.

“We then have literally hundreds of thousands of pieces of equipment to test and commission individually and then as a system, including systems checking … back at the control centre.”

The TYSSE will see the extension of subway service to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre from Sheppard West station. It includes stops at Downsview Park, York University and Highway 407.

Byford said work continues on outfitting the stations with fare equipment and trial operations are being scheduled. The final approval involves a complete safety case for the entire section of the new extension, which Byford said will likely be signed off on the day before the opening.

He also said the first phase of automatic train control (ATC), a new signalling system that allows subway trains to run closer together and aims to reduce wait times, is scheduled to launch between Dupont and Wilson stations within a couple of weeks. Phase two of the project will see the connection of the TYSSE to the new signalling system.

There have been several weekend closures along Line 1 throughout recent years for the installation of ATC-related equipment.