TTC unveils plan for a streetcar line for Queens Quay East to Parliament

TTC's about to embark on a process that could see a massive expansion of its Union Station streetcar platform and a new line that services the developing Queens Quay East neighbourhood.

As part of the Queens Quay redevelopment meeting today that saw the plans unveiled for the $192-million makeover of the stretch from Bathurst to Yonge Street, the TTC also made public its plans for a new streetcar line.

The TTC's Bill Dawson outlined how the commission had gone through years of planning before announcing the potential new line that would see a streetcar start from Union, emerge east of Yonge street and loop at Parliament, which it said would be an interim solution. There would be eventual plans to hook it up with Cherry Street.

The commission had considered several alternatives: using other vehicles other than streetcars, having an above ground line that turned at Bay Street. It had considered whether the streetcar would emerge before Yonge Street but it was decided that it would disrupt pedestrian and vehicle traffic too much.

To accommodate the extra line, it said that Union Station, which Dawson said was already congested, would get a revamp "over time" so that the platforms would run north and south.

It also said the portal, where the streetcar emerges onto the street would possible be made "more attractive" and showed a few interesting renderings.

We've mocked up a Google Map with some of the materials we saw on the street. Remember this is not definitive but reflects the essence of what we saw.


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