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The Finch West LRT will open Dec. 7, the TTC said in a news release Monday.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in the release that the opening is a “transformative” moment for the city. The line was originally supposed to open in 2021.
“Line 6 Finch West will connect northwest Toronto communities, support local businesses, and make it easier for people to get to work, school, and home,” Chow said.
“Together, we are fighting congestion and building a more connected, accessible, and sustainable city.”
TTC CEO Mandeep Lali said the transit agency is “thrilled” to welcome riders to the new line.
“Since January, the TTC has worked tirelessly, 24/7, with Metrolinx to operate tens of thousands of test train-hours to ensure a safe and reliable experience. Now, with independent certification confirming the line’s readiness, we are excited and fully prepared to begin this new chapter in Toronto transit,” Lali said.
The line will run along Finch Avenue W., primarily above ground, with 18 stops from Humber College’s North Campus to Finch West, where it connects with Line 1.
It also will connect to TTC bus routes and regional transit services, including GO Transit, MiWay, York Region Transit, and Brampton Züm.
Fifteen trains will operate during weekday morning and afternoon rush hours, with service every six and a half minutes. At all other times, including weekends, trains will arrive about every 10 to 12 minutes.
Line will soft launch until spring
Following the recommendations of the Ottawa LRT public inquiry, Line 6 Finch West will operate under “soft opening” conditions with trains running from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. until the spring.
The temporary early closing will provide the line’s maintainers, Mosaic Transit Group, with an extended maintenance window, allowing staff to become more familiar with the line and monitor it for any issues while in full revenue service.
The opening also means the names of two existing TTC stations will officially change on Dec. 7. Eglinton West Station will become Cedarvale Station, while Dundas Station will become TMU Station.
Line 1 trains will now announce arrival at the stations with their new names.
WATCH | Metrolinx has been mum for years on opening:
The Finch LRT is years behind schedule. Metrolinx won’t say when it will open
Four years after the project was set to be completed, the 11-kilometre, 18-stop Finch West LRT still doesn’t have an opening date. CBC’s Britnei Bilhete checked in with Metrolinx — and frustrated residents.
Between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m., service will be provided by buses operating every 10 minutes, serving on-street LRT stops along the Finch West corridor. The TTC’s blue night bus service will operate after 1 a.m. until the start of train service at 6 a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 8 a.m. on Sundays.
“Major readiness milestones in relation to the opening of the line have been achieved,” Metrolinx Rapid Transit CEO Sean Fuller said in a quarterly report prepared for Metrolinx’s board of directors meeting this week.
The TTC took control of the new line earlier this month following a 30-day trial run.
Major construction on the Finch West LRT, or Line 6, started in 2019 and wrapped up last fall, about four years after initially expected.
(Metrolinx)
Andrew Pulsifer, executive director of the transit advocacy group TTCriders, said in a news release Monday the announced opening is “good news” but overdue.
“Line 6 will significantly improve travel for hundreds of thousands of transit users, and we are thrilled for riders who have been waiting for reliable rapid transit in this corridor,” Pulsifer said.
“But let’s be honest, this should not have taken this long. While not as delayed as the Eglinton Crosstown, residents along Finch have been waiting for years for this project to open.”
The Dec. 7 opening means Line 6 will be in operation before the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which began construction over a decade ago.
That LRT line is currently in its “revenue service demonstration phase,” according to the quarterly report. Once completed, it “will be formally handed over to TTC for final preparations before passenger service begins,” Fuller said in the document.
Construction on the Eglinton Crosstown began six years before Finch West, yet there is still no confirmed opening date.
The new Line 6 is expected to move more than 51,000 passengers each weekday, according to an October release from the provincial government.