The Finch West LRT could open in mid-to-late October if it doesn’t hit any further snags, with plans to begin testing the route as if it were open to the public very soon.
Provincial transit agency Metrolinx, which has led the construction and testing of the line, confirmed the final stage of tests would commence “in the coming days.”
“As our CEO Michael Lindsay has said publicly, our goal is to open our LRT projects as quickly as possible once they are safe and reliable to do so,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“We are currently targeting Revenue Service Demonstration on Finch West in the coming days, which is an important period of testing for the system.”
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Revenue service demonstration refers to the final, 30-day test for new transit lines. It means running trains and stations as if they are open to the public, but behind closed doors.
The Finch West LRT will run from Finch West Station on Line 1 to Humber College Station in north Etobicoke. It will feature 16 stops and take roughly 34 minutes to run from one end of the route to the other.
The final tests come hot on the heels of the Finch West control being transferred from Metrolinx to the TTC, which has been in charge of operating the trains for just over a week.
Lindsay previously said the Finch West was progressing faster than the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and, despite being started years after, could open at the same time.
“I think it’s fair to say, love that system, but I think it’s a little more simplified (than Eglinton),” he said. “It essentially runs in a dedicated right of way, the signalling technology has been proven, the vehicles are a little more simplified.”
If the revenue service demonstration goes off without any fresh issues, the month-long test would suggest the Finch West LRT will be open to the public around the last couple of weeks of October.
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