TTC riders time out new commutes on newly minted Line 1 subway extension

CTVnews.ca
Dec. 18, 2017
By Codi Wilson

Many commuters are testing out their new route to work and school this morning on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension.

The Line 1 extension, which features six new stops, including Downsview Park, Finch West, York University, Pioneer Village, Highway 407, and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, officially opened on Sunday and this morning marks the first weekday rush hour for the new stations.

The TTC says the new subway can transport passengers from Vaughan to Union Station in an estimated 42 minutes and this morning, many riders were timing out their ride.

"I've been pretty much commuting for 30 years and hopefully this will cut about 30 or 40 minutes off my time," Don Smith, a commuter who works on Bay Street, told CP24 at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station on Monday.

"I usually travel down the 400 to York Mills and then take the subway in there."

Smith said he tried to take the GO Train from Barrie but found it ended up taking too much time to get to his destination.

"It is two hours and 20 minutes so it is not really effective for me. This, I hope, will be effective and cut some time off my commute… It means about an hour, an hour and a half more for my family per day," he said.

"There seems to be lots of parking to come in here so it seems like it is going to be a good thing for me."

Speaking to CP24 on Monday, TTC CEO Andy Byford said passengers were "pouring" into the stations this morning.

"Today we're down to business. Today we've got to get people to work. We've got to get them to where they need to be," he said. "Everything is going smoothly."

Byford, who will wrap up his tenure at the TTC on Friday, said he plans to go around to the stations today to thank TTC staff for their hard work in getting the subway stations open and thank passengers for their patience.

"They've waited a long time for this subway," Byford said.

The 8.6-kilometre extension, which ultimately cost $3.2 billion, is the first new subway to open in Toronto since the Sheppard Line in 2002.