Signal changes aim to shorten trips on Eglinton and Finch West LRT lines

Riders on Line 5 Eglinton between Don Valley and Kennedy stations and throughout Line 6 Finch West should begin seeing shorter trips following traffic signal changes designed to give LRT trains priority at street-level intersections, according to a TTC announcement.

The City of Toronto has adjusted signals so trains can pass through intersections ahead of vehicles turning left. The changes are the first stage of a broader effort to reduce travel times on both lines.

Enhanced transit signal priority is now in place at every intersection on Line 6. On Line 5, the rollout covers intersections along the street-level corridor, though changes at Leslie Street remain pending.

The TTC said the Leslie Street improvements will follow additional testing and coordination with other planned changes to traffic operations.

More signal upgrades are being developed for both routes. Those changes are intended to make the signals more responsive to conditions in real time and are expected to be introduced over the coming months.

First phase of travel-time improvements

The announcement did not provide an estimate of how many minutes riders could save. TTC chief executive Mandeep S. Lali described the initial changes as a step toward measurable, incremental improvements, with further work to follow.

Lali said the agency is responding to customers who want faster journeys as part of wider improvements to the two lines.

Mayor Olivia Chow said the accelerated rollout of signal priority is part of the city's effort to speed up transit and reduce time spent commuting.

TTC chair Jamaal Myers said the changes should help LRT vehicles keep moving and improve journey times, particularly along the Scarborough portion of Line 5. He credited City, TTC and Metrolinx teams for their work on the rollout.

How the two lines are operated

The TTC operates both Line 5 Eglinton and Line 6 Finch West under agreements with Metrolinx and the City of Toronto. Its responsibilities include running trains, providing security, handling revenue control and staffing stations.

Maintenance is handled separately. Crosslinx Transit Solutions maintains Line 5's infrastructure and vehicles under contract to Metrolinx, while Mosaic Transit Group has that responsibility for Line 6.

The signal work involves the TTC's operating role alongside the City's traffic signal changes and coordination with Metrolinx and the other project partners.