The King Street Pilot is almost here to stay.

A city staff report came out this morning with recommendations to make the King Street Pilot permanent, and Mayor John Tory has already voiced his support. This is a huge victory for the 84,000 passengers that travel along the corridor every day.

The decision isn't final yet - and will need to be approved by the Executive Committee (April 9th), the TTC Board (April 11th), and City Council (April 16/17th). But by continuing to show our public support we can ensure that it's made permanent! If you want to share your story about how the pilot has impacted you be sure to come out to our training this Thursday at 6PM.

The full report includes a summary of the data collected through the comprehensive monitoring and evaluation program of the pilot project, as well as short and long term improvements that will make the street work even better.

The short-term improvements that will be explored include:

increased service capacity through more streetcars or supplemental bus service
enhanced transit stops with real-time information and raised platforms
more durable and usable public realm activation of the curb lane spaces
improved and illuminated signage
optimization of operations at both ends of the pilot

In the long-term, permanent changes to the street will be made, such as widening sidewalks and bumps outs for transit stops.

Below are some key takeaways from the data shared in the report:

Transit Service

More predictable journeys that people can rely on

Daily weekday ridership up by 17% (from 72,000 to 84,000)

Taxi exemptions from 10pm to 1:30am are negatively impacting service, with travel times are 30% higher than in the early evening periods. During these off-peak times service is still frequent, as over 2,400 passengers ride the streetcar daily after 10pm.

Other Important Results

Some improvements to air quality and a reduction in noise levels were experienced in the area during the pilot.
Limited impact on motorist travel times in the surrounding streets, with changes within +/- one minute.

More people are traveling East-West on the streetcar, and some are leaving their cars at home.

The slight decline in business sales is in line with the experience in previous years. Spending on retail and services on King has increased, while restaurant spending has decreased slightly.

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