When the Eglinton Crosstown LRT opens, how often will its trains run?
Although the midtown transit line is set to begin service in a matter of months, that question is yet to be settled. At issue is whether they should run every 5 minutes or every 3 minutes and 10 seconds at peak times.
According to a new report, the TTC, which is the city agency on the hook for the millions of dollars it will cost to operate the LRT, has been preparing to run it at a lower service level, but Metrolinx, the provincial organization that owns the line, has suggested more frequent service. The two sides are now in negotiations over the issue as part of a wider operating and funding agreement for the LRT.
Those discussions won’t just decide how long Crosstown riders are waiting on the platform — they’re an early test of the city and province’s ability to co-operate on the LRT, a massive $5.4-billion project that has been delivered under a complex public-private partnership (P3) model that splits responsibility for the line between the TTC, Metrolinx and a private company.
The arrangement has never been used on a TTC-operated line, and how well it works on the Crosstown will be closely watched, particularly in light of the Ottawa LRT fiasco. That project, which opened in 2019, was also a P3, and has suffered so many breakdowns it’s now the subject of a public inquiry.
Eric Miller, director of the University of Toronto Transportation Research Institute, said it’s not clear yet whether the Crosstown will run into problems. But he said aspects of the LRT agreement are “exceedingly awkward” and at least have the potential to lead to disputes.
I have noted that Metrolinx and the TTC haven’t always had a good working relationship. They initially disagreed on the LRT design and have sparred over the Presto fare card system.
“The two organizations have always had a different vision of how this line was going to operate,” Miller said.
Both the TTC and Metrolinx suggested talks were going well so far.
“The ongoing discussions with our partners at Metrolinx will result in agreements that make safe and efficient operation of (the Crosstown) a shared priority,” said TTC spokesperson Stuart Green.
Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins said the agency is working with all parties and “is completely focused on achieving the benefits of (the LRT).”
The Crosstown was supposed to open in September 2021 but still has no firm opening date. Construction is scheduled to be finished later this year, although it may not start serving paying customers until 2023.
Under the P3 agreement, Metrolinx will retain ownership of the LRT, while the private company that was contracted to build it, Crosslinx Transit Solutions (CTS), will be responsible for maintenance. The TTC and the city will be responsible for operations, collecting fare revenue and paying for maintenance CTS performs.
According to a TTC staff report that went to the agency’s board on April 14, the TTC has been preparing to open the LRT at what the P3 agreement calls Service Level 1, which would see trains run as often as every 5 minutes at the busiest times .
But the TTC is now in discussion with Metrolinx about starting at Level 6, under which trains would run as often as every 3 minutes and 10 seconds. Metrolinx proposed the higher service levels, which would be a major change — the LRT wasn’t expected to reach Level 6 for another 15 years. Transit demand is way down since COVID-19, and Metrolinx didn’t explain why it’s considering more service.
The TTC has estimated that if the LRT opened at Service Level 1 and gradually ramped up, it would cost $62.6 million to operate in 2023. If it opened at higher service levels, the TTC’s operating and maintenance costs would increase. The agency is already facing a financial crisis caused by the pandemic, but says it hasn’t ruled out more frequent service.
According to the report, any changes to service levels have to be agreed to by Metrolinx and the TTC, with Metrolinx giving final authorization.
Although the two agencies may yet reach an agreement on service, TTC board members have raised concerns about another aspect of the P3 contract. While the TTC is responsible for paying CTS for maintenance, the company’s contract is with Metrolinx, not the TTC. That means the TTC will have to rely on Metrolinx to oversee maintenance on a line the TTC operates.
TTC commissioner Julie Osborne called that the “biggest red flag” of the arrangement. “We have no direct relationship with the maintainer,” she told the board. “For me that’s a source of anxiety.”
Aikins said Metrolinx will ensure the LRT is properly maintained. “We will continue to work with all parties to ensure customer expectations are met, as we deliver a safe, effective LRT service,” she said.
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