|
Chaos on the Yonge line, ahha. They want more for this?
| quote: | Subway shut down from Eglinton to Bloor
Commuter chaos has gripped the Yonge subway line after a contractor caused tunnel damage, closing the busiest line between Bloor and Eglinton stations at the busiest time of day.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people are lined up at Bloor and Yonge Sts., waiting for shuttle buses that can't keep up with the flood of people spilling out of Bloor station. When one of the 50 shuttle buses does leave, it plunges into heavy Yonge St. traffic, extending the commute for many by potentially hours.
The disruption is affecting as many as 300,000 commuters, with no service at the Davisville, St. Clair, Summerhill and Rosedale stations. Bus stops along the closed route are all packed with people and the sidewalks are crowded with commuters who decided to walk.
TTC spokesperson Brad Ross told reporters just before 5 p.m. that buses are being pulled off other routes to act as shuttles up and down Yonge St., but commuters should think of other options. He noted a bus can hold about 60 people compared to a subway train holding 1,600.
"You can't rely on (the shuttles) if you really need to get somewhere. You'll have to find alternatives," he said.
The section of the line is expected to remain closed overnight and possibly into the morning rush hour. The disruption comes one day after city councillors hiked fares effective in the New Year, fuelling anger among those left stranded and waiting for shuttle buses.
Sam O'Connor, after waiting in a crowd for about a half-hour, hoping to get a shuttle bus north from Bloor to Sheppard station, fumed: "I don't feel good about the TTC. The service is not getting better.
"We've got to pay $3 (starting Jan. 3) and take a shuttle? I'm not happy."
A 71-year-old pedestrian was struck and seriously injured at Yonge and Eglinton during the rush hour, causing further traffic delays.
Hamid Ghaemi, heading home to Richmond Hill from his job at Ryerson University, said he has been taking the TTC to Yonge and Finch Ave., for 23 years.
"Get (TTC chair) Adam Giambrone to quit," Ghaemi said. "This is absolutely ridiculous. There are daily breakdowns, daily delays ... All I've seen is more riders and less efficient service."
Phil Clerk, 54, got on the subway at St. George station, travelled down to Union, and later went north intending to go to a doctor's appointment near Davisville station. At no point did he hear any announcement about a disruption until he was kicked off at Bloor, he said, adding he was cancelling the doctor's appointment and walking home to Bloor and Spadina Ave.
"I'm already late. I was thinking of walking but it's what, a 30 or 40 minute walk? My doctor's office will be closed," he said.
The TTC was suggesting as subway alternatives the 512 St. Clair streetcar from St. Clair Station to St. Clair West Station and the 32 Eglinton West bus from Eglinton Station to Eglinton West Station.
Aludia Philp, who lives at Nielson Rd. and Finch Ave. in Scarborough, is regretting her decision to take the TTC downtown to fight a parking ticket instead of driving.
"How am I going to get home now? It's a long, long way?"
Dale Blackwood had to cancel a meeting at Sheppard Centre.
"I'm not going — there's no way. This is crazy. It's ridiculous."
Tonya Malcolm, a downtown office worker who normally has a 90-minute commute to Finch station and then a bus to Markham Rd. in Scarborough, couldn't guess when she'll get home faces a much longer ride home tonight. After waiting 15 minutes at Yonge and Bloor, watching a shuttle bus on the south side that haven't moved.
"This really sucks. Can you imagine raising the fare to $3 for this?," she said.
At St. Clair station, Anthony Clayton, 27, and Brett Strong, 26, both students at the nearby National Institute of Broadcasting, were stranded outside their classroom.
They watched as packed shuttle buses zoomed by every minute or so, too full to pick up more than a few passengers at a time.
"I'm considering strapping myself to the top of one of those buses so I can get to Finch," Clayton said.
When told the problem may keep the subway shut through Thursday morning, Clayton and Strong both sighed.
"I guess I'll try to find a ride somehow," Strong said. "I'll have to ride my bike," Clayton said. "But that's a long way."
Jessica Martin a communications adviser for the TTC, said earlier this afternoon: "We are sending our TTC engineers to look at the situation and once they determine it is safe we will resume service."
The damage to the tunnel was done from above, by a contractor not working for the TTC who was doing work on Jackes Ave., south of St. Clair station and just east of Yonge St. |
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/art...-until-tomorrow
|