Wikipedia

Humber Loop

Humber Loop is a multimodal transit station and a hub for streetcar routes. It consists of two streetcar turning loops and one bus loop. Humber Loop is located between the Gardiner Expressway and the Queensway just west of the Humber River in Toronto. The loop is accessed by a private right-of-way along the Queensway on the east side of the loop and by Lake Shore Boulevard on its west side. As of November 19, 2023, four Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar routes either pass through or terminate at Humber Loop.

Humber Loop
PCC streetcars in service at the loop in 1968
General information
LocationThe Queensway
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
Coordinates43°37′52″N 79°28′43″W / 43.63111°N 79.47861°W / 43.63111; -79.47861
Owned byToronto Transit Commission
Line(s)  501   507   508 
Connections TTC buses
Construction
Structure typewaiting area and washroom
AccessibleYes
History
Opened1957 (current location)
RebuiltJanuary 8, 2017 (closure) to June 24, 2018 (full reopening)

History

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Besides the current Humber Loop, there were two previous Humber loops. All three served different locations near the lower Humber River.

First Humber Loop

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First Humber Loop after rebuilding in 1931

The first Humber Loop opened on July 26, 1922, along Lake Shore Road east of the Humber River at Jane Street (today's South Kingsway). The loop was the terminus of a streetcar branch line that began at the intersection of Roncesvalles Avenue, King Street and Queen Street, crossed a bridge over the rail corridor and descended downhill through Sunnyside to the loop. At the first Humber Loop, riders could transfer to the Mimico radial line to continue westward to Long Branch and Port Credit.[1][2]

By 1929, there was reduced traffic around the first Humber Loop, as streetcars of the Lake Shore streetcar route had replaced the radial cars to Long Branch, and most short-turns were handled by Parkside Loop at Parkside Drive further to the east. In 1931, the loop closed for rebuilding, reopening on July 29. The first Humber Loop closed permanently on September 12, 1939, in order to construct a ramp to the Queen Elizabeth Way which then ran to the Humber River.[1][2]

Second Humber Loop

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Waiting room at second Humber Loop in November 1934

The second Humber Loop was opened on July 11, 1940, on the north side of then Lakeshore Road intersecting Queen Street (near present day Lakeshore Boulevard and Palace Pier Court and near the historic The Palace Pier). Initially, the second Humber Loop had one east-to-west loop. However, on July 1, 1954, a west-to-east loop was added to split streetcar service at the loop to accommodate a fare zone boundary. Riders had to change streetcars at Humber Loop to travel between downtown and Long Branch. The two loops were nestled between the east- and westbound through-tracks, and all tracks at the loop were located within a central reservation in the middle of Lake Shore Road.[1]

Construction of the Gardiner Expressway required the demolition of the bridge over the railway corridor south of Roncesvalles Avenue. Thus, streetcar tracks from that bridge westwards up to and including the second Humber Loop had to be relocated. This resulted in the closure of the second Humber Loop and the opening of the third, current loop.[1]

Current loop

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Because of the construction of the Gardiner Expressway, streetcar tracks were relaid along the Queensway in a centre reservation to the current Humber Loop with a connection to Lake Shore Boulevard via a tunnel under the railway corridor and a highway. The third and current Humber Loop opened on July 20, 1957. Like the previous Humber Loop, the new loop was at a fare zone boundary requiring riders to change streetcars between the Long Branch route (from Long Branch Loop) and the Queen route (from Neville Park Loop).[1]

Between 1967 and early 1977, two-car multiple-unit PCC trains served the Queen streetcar route between Neville Park Loop and Humber Loop. To facilitate the uncoupling of a PCC train at Humber Loop, a passing siding was added to the east-to-west loop.[3]

On January 1, 1973, the fare zone boundary at Humber Loop was eliminated, passengers could transfer between the Long Branch and Queen streetcars at Humber Loop without paying an extra fare.[4]

On March 29, 1996, route 507 Long Branch was merged into 501 Queen, thus creating the longest streetcar line in North America running from Neville Park Loop to Long Branch Loop. It also eliminated the change of streetcars at Humber Loop.[1]

 
A CLRV turning in the Long Branch side of Humber Loop

On January 3, 2016, the 501 route was temporarily split into two sections at Humber Loop. As of June 23, 2019, the section west towards Long Branch Loop operates mainly with shorter Canadian Light Rail Vehicles (CLRVs), while the section east to Neville Park Loop operates using mostly low-floor accessible Flexity Outlook streetcars.[5][6][7]

From January 8, 2017, streetcar service west of Roncesvalles Avenue was replaced by buses for about 15 months to accommodate various construction projects,[8] including rebuilding the bridge carrying streetcar tracks over the Humber River. At Humber Loop, there were several construction tasks including replacing track and overhead, building a new substation, making platforms accessible to accommodate Flexity streetcars and replacing the passing siding on the west-to-east loop with a stub siding.[9][10][11] On April 1, 2018, streetcars returned to operate between Sunnyside Loop and Humber Loop.[12][13] On June 24, 2018, streetcar service between Humber Loop and Long Branch Loop returned with riders coming from the east being required to change streetcars at the loop.[14]

For over two years starting March 31, 2021, Humber Loop was closed to streetcar traffic due to construction activity, including track replacement and an extension of the exclusive streetcar right-of-way on the Queensway west of Roncesvalles Avenue.[15] Streetcar service at Humber Loop was restored for 501 Queen on October 29, 2023, and begun for 508 Lake Shore on October 30, 2023, and for 507 Long Branch on November 19, 2023. At that time, 301 Queen continued to operate overnight with temporary replacement buses.[16]

Future

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The TTC plans to relocate the loop to Park Lawn Road where it will better serve development growth in the Humber Bay Shores area. Although preliminary design work has been done, the project has not been funded due to reductions in the capital program.[17]

Services

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An enclosed waiting room is provided for passengers, as are separate facilities for operators. As of November 19, 2023, the TTC routes serving Humber Loop are:[18]

Route Destinations Notes
501 Queen EB To Neville Park Loop WB Terminus
WB To Long Branch Loop Late evening service only
507 Long Branch EB Terminus WB To Long Branch Loop No late evening service
508 Lake Shore EB To Broadview station WB To Long Branch Loop Rush hours only
301 Queen EB To Neville Park Loop WB To Long Branch Loop Blue Night bus service replacing 501 streetcar
66A Prince Edward NB To Old Mill station SB Terminus Bus route

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Bow, James (June 25, 2015). "The Humber Loop Interchange". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Bromley, John F. (1979). TTC '28; the electric railway services of the Toronto Transportation Commission in 1928. Upper Canada Railway Society. pp. 21 (The Lakeshore Project). Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  3. ^ Bow, James (September 6, 2017). "Route 501 - The Queen Streetcar". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on 2018-01-31. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  4. ^ Bow, James (July 1, 2017). "A History Of Fares On The TTC". Transit Toronto. Archived from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2018. On January 1, 1973, the two zone fare system within Metropolitan Toronto was abolished…
  5. ^ Stevenson, Verity (January 3, 2016). "Queen streetcar riders get what they've waited for: more service". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 2016-01-04. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  6. ^ Munro, Steve (January 3, 2016). "501 Queen Service Design Effective January 3, 2016". Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  7. ^ "501 Queen - Service increase". Toronto Transit Commission. January 3, 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-01-10. Retrieved January 19, 2016. The route will be temporarily split into two separate sections, operating between Long Branch Loop and Humber Loop, and between Neville Park Loop and Humber Loop.
  8. ^ Wilson, Codi (March 1, 2017). "Buses to replace streetcars on Queen Street this summer". CablePulse 24. Archived from the original on 2017-12-23. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  9. ^ "TTC Service Changes Effective Sunday, January 8, 2017 (Updated)". Steve Munro: Transit & Politics. December 11, 2016. Archived from the original on January 10, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  10. ^ Munro, Steve (January 28, 2018). "Reconstruction of The Queensway and Humber Loop". Steve Munro. Archived from the original on 2018-01-31. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  11. ^ "TTC 501 Queen route converts to buses west of Roncesvalles for 2017". Toronto Transit Commission. December 16, 2016. Archived from the original on February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  12. ^ "501 Queen - Streetcar restrictions during several construction projects - February 18 update". Toronto Transit Commission. February 18, 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-02-02. Retrieved February 1, 2018.
  13. ^ "TTC service improvements and changes". Toronto Transit Commission. Archived from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  14. ^ "TTC service improvements and changes". Toronto Transit Commission. June 24, 2018. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  15. ^ "Construction Update #2 (KQQR)" (PDF). City of Toronto. March 12, 2021. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  16. ^ "TTC restoring streetcar service to Humber Loop, improving west-end service from Sunday". Toronto Transit Commission. October 27, 2023. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023.
  17. ^ Byford, Andy (4 October 2013). "Relocation of Humber Loop to Park Lawn Road" (PDF). letter to councillor Mark Grimes. Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved July 21, 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  18. ^ "Routes". Toronto Transit Commission. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
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