TTC closes Scarborough Line 3 as Toronto hit by winter storm

The TTC Scarborough Line 3 remains closed Thursday morning, while the city stationed snow equipment near major highways in anticipation of the storm that was forecast to bring up to 20 cm of snow by Thursday morning.

In a tweet Thursday morning, TTC announced that Line 3’s closure remains in effect due to an expected winter storm.

“I know the last thing people want to see right now is more snow,” said Barbara Gray, general manager of the city’s transportation services at a briefing Wednesday afternoon.

After more than two weeks of snow removal operations, Toronto is still digging out from the 55 cm dumped by the Jan.17 snowstorm.

But the city expected to be able to better respond this time, Gray said, noting that the snow was expected to fall over a longer period, allowing the city to salt and plow roads more effectively.

In preparation, the TTC said it activated an enhanced severe weather plan ahead of the storm, with preparations that began last weekend.

That includes deploying 50 additional buses from 7 am to 7 pm, temporarily replacing Scarborough RT Line 3 with 25 buses, storing subway trains in tunnels along main lines, treating streetcars and overhead wires with antifreeze (with a backup plan to replace the 512 St. Clair streetcar with buses) and readying private tow trucks along with the TTC’s snow clearing equipment, among other measures.

In the storm two weeks ago, hundreds of TTC buses were stranded in the snow, some for several days.

“While this storm has the potential to impact service, the TTC is taking extra steps to ensure it delivers the best service possible,” the public transit agency said in a release Wednesday afternoon.

City crews were outside on Wednesday, monitoring temperatures on the roads so salters could begin their work as soon as the rain froze. Snow equipment was brought close to arteries such as the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway to ensure roads were clear for emergency vehicles and streetcars, said Vince Sferrazza, director of operations and maintenance for the city’s transportation services.

City officials asked residents to contact 311 for snow clearing requests from the previous storm, emphasizing the city is working to address them.

“We’ve been digging out as everybody has been across the city,” said Gray. “We are still committed to continuing snow removal after we get through this storm.”