[URBAN NOTE] "This is the actual route the subway takes in Toronto"

[rfmcdonald]

Derek Flack's blogTO post caught my attention.

In this instalment of "today I learned something quirky about the TTC," let's dwell a little on the actual route the subway takes in Toronto. Everyone's familiar with the disclaimer on the official route map that it's "not to scale," but the simplification of the subway's course likely leads many to believe it runs right underneath the streets it serves.

This is rarely the case.

Why? The most simple answer is cost. When the first subway line was built in Toronto in the early 1950s, the TTC used the cut and cover construction method. This is cheaper than tunnel boring machines, but very disruptive to traffic. One way to save money and reduce gridlock during the building phase is to offset the route.