Buses now run on former Line 3 corridor

Comuters travelling between Scarborough Centre and Kennedy stations are now riding on a dedicated busway, and their trips are about seven minutes faster as a result, the TTC said.

The Scarborough Busway opened for service this week, running roughly four kilometres along the corridor once used by the Line 3 Scarborough Rapid Transit line, which closed and has since been replaced by buses.

Line 3 bus replacement routes will no longer travel on Kennedy Road or Midland Avenue. Instead, they will run on the busway between Ellesmere Road and Kennedy Station.

What riders need to know

Customers who need to travel along Kennedy Road or Midland Avenue can still do so using the 43 Kennedy or 57 Midland routes, the TTC said.

Service on the 54 Lawrence East and 954 Lawrence East Express will be adjusted to connect to the existing Lawrence East bus loop.

Riders connecting between the 95 York Mills, 995 York Mills Express or 996 Wilson Express and any of the affected routes should now transfer at Midland Avenue and Ellesmere Road.

Passengers using Line 3 bus replacement service will continue to board at the same locations at Kennedy and Scarborough Centre stations, but their buses will travel along the new busway rather than Midland Avenue and Kennedy Road.

Customers who normally board on Lawrence Avenue East or Ellesmere Road may need to use one of the new busway stops. The busway features three stops in total, which the TTC said provide more direct connections to the surrounding communities along the corridor.

From rail line to roadway

Converting the former rail corridor into a busway was a significant undertaking, according to the TTC. The old SRT tracks, signals and fencing were all removed, and the corridor was rebuilt as a roadway with new sidewalks, streetlights, shelters and seating for customers.

The transit agency said extensive testing was done, alongside work with City of Toronto agencies, to make sure the busway was safe and ready for riders.

The TTC has posted a video online offering a behind-the-scenes look at the construction work, along with a question-and-answer feature with Gary Papas, the agency's senior manager of transportation planning, describing what it took to transform part of the former Line 3 route.

Riders planning trips through the corridor are advised to check route and stop information before travelling, as boarding locations and connections have changed with the busway's opening.