In all the talk about the Scarborough Subway and SmartTrack, there has been much less discussion of how the surface route network will be adjusted around the new lines. In preparation for Council’s upcoming debate on the SSE, the TTC has produced a map of the proposed bus network following the subway opening. Here are the current and proposed maps for comparison (click to expand).

Many of the routes on this map are unchanged from the current network which is already built around the Town Centre and Kennedy stations.

What is quite striking, however, is the complete absence of services dedicated to existing GO and potential future SmartTrack stations that are supposed to be an integral part of a future Scarborough Network. Inclusion of connecting service to those stations would presume, of course, that ST will actually operate as advertised with frequent service and free transfer to and from TTC routes. There is also no Eglinton East LRT to the UTSC campus.

Looking at the map, and the degree to which “all roads lead to STC”, shows the effect of having a major “mobility hub” in the middle of Scarborough. If that’s where you want to go, there is a bus route to take you there. Other travel patterns can be more challenging, especially if the peak service hours are designed for downtown-bound commuters.

Rearranging the network to feed into SmartTrack would require some work, and it is unclear if multiple hubs could actually co-exist. However, SmartTrack is planned to open five years before the SSE, and will trigger its own interim changes. Without really intending to, the TTC has given us a view of Scarborough transit that is uncomfortably closer to what might actually be built than many, certainly Mayor Tory and his circle, would care to admit.

Meanwhile, the SSE does not bring the same degree of change to the surface transit network as might occur in other areas because STC is already a major transit node. Indeed, the TTC could introduce new and revised routes long before the subway opens in 2026.

[The information in this article is taken from a compendium report in the TTC’s upcoming Board Meeting agenda at pp. 129-130. Routes and names shown are, at this point, only proposals and are subject to refinement.]

Proposed Changes 9 Bellamy Warden Stn to STC Unchanged 16 McCowan Warden Stn to STC Unchanged 21 Brimley Kennedy Stn to STC Unchanged 38 Highland Creek Rouge Hill GO to STC Unchanged 39A Finch East Finch Stn to Morningside Hts Branch rerouted and extended 199 Finch Rocket Finch W Stn to STC Unchanged 42 Cummer Finch Stn to Morningside Hts Extended 43B Kennedy via Progress Kennedy Stn to STC Unchanged 53 Steeles East Finch Stn to Morningside Hts East end loop revised 53E Steeles East Express Replaced by 253 Steeles Rocket 253 Steeles Rocket Pioneer Village Stn to STC New route 54 Lawrence East Science Ctr Stn to Starspray Base route unchanged 154 Lawrence East Kennedy Stn to UTSC Orton Pk service replaced and extended 254 Lawrence East Express Science Ctr Stn to Starspray via Kennedy Stn Replaces 54E express. Link to Kennedy Stn added. 57 Midland Kennedy Stn to Steeles Loop at Steeles revised 85 Sheppard East Don Mills Stn to Rouge Hill GO Supplemented by 285 Sheppard E Rocket 285 Sheppard East Rocket Don Mills Stn to UTSC via STC New route 86 Scarborough Kennedy Stn to Zoo Unchanged 93A Ellesmere East STC to Kingston Rd Replaces 95A York Mills east of STC. Route number already in use by 93 Parkview Hills. 93B Ellesmere East STC to Conlins Rd Replaces 95A York Mills east of STC and 116A Morningside Conlins Loop 95 York Mills York Mills Stn to STC Partly replaced by 93 Ellesmere East and 295 York Mills Express 295 York Mills Express York Mills Stn to UTSC via STC New route 102 Markham Rd Warden Stn to Steeles North end loop structure simplified 202 Markham Rocket Warden Stn to Centennial College New route 116 Morningside Kennedy Stn to Steeles Extended to Steeles & Markham Rd. Service via Guildwood replaced by 153. 153 Kennedy Stn to Beechgrove New route replacing 116 Guildwood service 129 McCowan North STC to Steeles Express service provided by 253, 199 and 285 Rockets 130A Middlefield STC to Steeles Route and loop from McNicoll to Steeles revised 130B Middlefield STC to Tapscott Route consolidates existing peak period loops of 42, 53, 102, 134 131 Nugget STC to Old Finch Service to Kennedy Stn replaced by subway 132 Milner STC to Hupfield/McClevin Unchanged 133 Neilson STC to Morningside Hts Unchanged 134A Progress STC to Finchdene Unchanged 134B Progress STC to McNicoll Discontinued, partly replaced by 130B 134C Progress STC to Centennial College Unchanged 169 Huntingwood Don Mills Stn to STC Unchanged