Should a large portion of Bathurst Street have priority lanes for TTC buses and streetcars? That’s the central question of a public consultation process being carried out by City of Toronto staff.
Staff, as part of the broader City of Toronto ‘RapidTO’ initiative, said they are studying a 7.5-kilometre corridor on Bathurst Street between Eglinton Avenue West and Lake Shore Boulevard West.
“Tens of thousands of people rely on buses and streetcars along this key route every day, but traffic congestion slows service down,” a public consultation website stated, noting the TTC’s 7 Bathurst and 511 Bathurst routes serve more than 35,000 riders every weekday.
“Buses and streetcars on Bathurst Street take 75 per cent longer than the average vehicle travel time and only 61 to 81 per cent of buses and streetcars arrive on time.”
Between Eglinton Avenue West and Bloor Street West on Bathurst Street, the proposed concept calls for converting the northbound and southbound curb lanes into red-painted priority lanes for TTC buses, Wheel-Trans vehicles, emergency vehicles, school buses and bicycles.
For sections of Bathurst Street between Bloor Street West and College Street as well as between Dundas Street West and Lake Shore Boulevard West, the proposed concept calls for converting the centre northbound and southbound lanes into red-painted priority lanes for TTC streetcars, Wheel-Trans vehicles and emergency vehicles.
The priority lanes wouldn’t be in effect between College Street and Dundas Street West due to the proximity of Toronto Western Hospital.
Also, officials noted all on-street parking in the affected sections is “being considered for removal.” That would mean the loss of nearly 480 Green P on-street paid spots plus an unspecified number of one-hour and unsigned spaces. They noted accessible parking spots currently in place would remain.
Officials also said they’re looking at removing four mid-block TTC bus stops on Bathurst Street, in the areas of Dewbourne Avenue, Ardmore Road, Heathdale Road and Barton Avenue.
When it comes to assisting with traffic flow at major intersections, City of Toronto staff said they’re looking at new or extended turn restrictions as well as advanced left-turn signals.
According to the City’s website, there will be a virtual public meeting on May 12 between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. (registration is required). In-person, drop-in sessions will be held on May 10 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the gymnasium of Harbord Collegiate Institute (Portuguese, Cantonese and Mandarin translators will also be present) and on May 14 between 4:30 and 8:30 p.m. at the gymnasium of Humewood Community School.
In a social media post, officials said a survey being released will be open until May 26.
In July, Toronto city council directed staff to consider making changes to Bathurst Street and Dufferin Street in advance of the 2026 FIFA World Cup games being held at BMO Field. That decision follows a push earlier in the year to speed up RapidTO busway studies on other corridors like parts of Jane Street, Finch Avenue East, Lawrence Avenue East and Steeles Avenue East.
Parts of Eglinton Avenue East, Kingston Road and Morningside Avenue in Scarborough saw transit-priority lanes installed in 2020. With lanes added on around nine kilometres of roads, City of Toronto staff said morning transit commute times dropped up to six minutes (depending on the comparison period used) and afternoon transit commute times dropped by up to five minutes. A report also noted the reliability of buses on four routes that used the lanes improved by an average of 10 per cent.
We’re considering dedicated bus & streetcar lanes on Bathurst to ease congestion and improve TTC service.
Your feedback will help keep Toronto moving.
Survey closes May 26
pic.twitter.com/CqkaVzF1YW— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) April 23, 2025