Eglinton Crosstown LRT to open Sunday, TTC CEO confirms

TTC CEO Mandeep Lali confirmed the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open on Feb. 8 with a phased launch, and earlier concerns about emergency-brake activations were briefed by Metrolinx and Alstom and described as addressed.

The TTC chief executive confirmed at a board meeting that the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT is set to open on Feb. 8. The announcement follows weeks of reporting on the line’s schedule and recent discussions about unexplained emergency-brake activations. TTC officials met with Metrolinx and Alstom for briefings that agency sources said eased some safety concerns. The province has outlined initial service hours and frequency and said service would be increased after a trial period. Key details: - The TTC CEO, Mandeep Lali, announced the line will open on Feb. 8 and described the launch as a phased opening. - Earlier concerns about random activations of the trains’ emergency brakes prompted briefings between TTC staff, Metrolinx and manufacturer Alstom; sources said those briefings eased some concerns. - The TTC chair, Jamaal Myers, later said he was no longer concerned about the braking issue. - The province said opening-day service will run from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. with trains every four minutes and 45 seconds, and that service levels will be ramped up after six months following a soft-opening pattern. - The Eglinton Crosstown (Line 5) is a 19-kilometre route with 25 stops between Mount Dennis and Kennedy; construction began in 2011 and the project was initially scheduled to open in 2020. - Reports said the project has taken about 15 years and $13 billion to build. Summary: The opening adds a 19-kilometre east–west LRT with 25 stops and is scheduled to begin on Feb. 8 with a phased launch and free fares reported for the first day. Initial operating hours and frequency were announced, and provincial plans call for increased service after a six-month ramp-up period.