For TTC riders irritated by constant delays across Toronto’s subway system, there’s both good and bad news.

The agency has cut the number of “reduced speed zones” from a peak of nearly three dozen during the summer to only 10 as the new year begins. The zones are areas where trains must slow down because the tracks are in need of maintenance or repair.

The bad news is that slow zones are likely here to stay permanently to help minimize the strain on older sections of the track.

They’re also likely to increase after the TTC’s upcoming spring geometric survey. Last year’s survey resulted in a significant rise in reduced speed zones.

“We understand that all of them mean that there is a slower trip time for people,” TTC spokesperson Stuart Green told CBC Toronto.

A million riders use Toronto’s subway system each day, so even with an added trip time of two minutes per slow zone, overall thousands of hours in commute time are lost each day — even with the dramatic reduction since August.

A million riders use Toronto’s subway system each day, so even with each slow zone adding only two minutes of trip time, thousands of hours in overall commute time are lost each day. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

But the number will “never be zero,” Green says, adding the agency has set a target of keeping the number of slow zones under a dozen across the network.

‘Goal is ridiculous’: transit advocate

Transit advocates in the city are frustrated by that position, saying that while some zones are temporarily justifiable, the ultimate target should be zero.

“I think their goal is ridiculous,” said transit advocate Steve Munro.

Munro says the reduction in slow zones is partly attributable to easier fixes, while problem areas continue to plague segments of Line 1.

The TTC says the median time to resolve a reduced speed zone is 11.6 days, while the average time is 22.1, suggesting some take much longer to resolve and skew the average upward.

For example, multiple slow zones have been in place for months along a four-stop section between Sheppard West and Lawrence West stations.

The TTC says it’s aiming to remove many of those Line 1 zones in the first quarter of 2025, but didn’t give a specific date.

The TTC says that as of Jan. 10, there are 10 reduced speed zones, down from a peak of nearly three dozen during the summer. (Toronto Transit Commission)

Green says one of the challenges in addressing problem areas is that track maintenance crews have only about 90 minutes to carry out repairs overnight while trains aren’t in operation.

“We have very limited time to go in and do these repairs,” he said. “This is not enough time.”

A small fix such as the replacement of a bolt can be done in that timeframe, he says, but others take longer.

In many outdoor sections, for example, trackbeds prone to weather and wetness can wear down over time, causing unevenness that leads to more strain on the tracks. Green says sometimes even the smallest deviation in the tracks can require an enormous amount of work and thus prolong the implementation of a reduced speed zone.

The TTC says slower speeds are a safety precaution and part of a plan to help extend the life of the tracks — not a sign the tracks are unsafe.

‘The bill is coming due’

Nevertheless, nearly 90 per cent of the 296 reduced speed zones implemented between Jan. 1, 2023 and Sept. 10, 2024 were unplanned, according to TTC data, suggesting a larger issue of aging infrastructure.

“This is the product of years of underinvestment and finally the bill is coming due,” said Shelagh Pizey-Allen, executive director of advocacy group TTC Riders.

She says riders are becoming increasingly frustrated as they miss connections due to the “new normal” of slow zones.

“What does it say about the state of good repair of the TTC?” added Pizey-Allen.

The persistence of endless repairs and slow zones comes at a fraught time for the TTC, as it faces an estimated funding shortfall of $26 billion over next decade, and is operating without a permanent replacement following the resignation of CEO Rick Leary.

Green says better TTC funding would go a long way toward eliminating slow zones, but that the agency is taking a two-pronged approach in the meantime. Recently, the provincial and federal governments announced a funding boost of $758 million each to go toward new trains for Line 2, which are expected to cost nearly $2.3 billion. The city is kicking in the rest.

Transit adovcate and writer Steve Munro says the TTC should be aiming for zero reduced speed zones. (Nick Boisvert/CBC)

The short-term work involves more training for staff to maintain subway tracks and improving the reliability of their current workcar fleet.

Long-term, the TTC aims to introduce additional track inspection technology and acquire its own geometry survey equipment to cut costs.

Ultimately, better management will be key for the next CEO, suggests Munro. He says the TTC has far more funding needs than are currently allocated for, and the new leader will require a strong understanding of public transit systems.

“That requires someone who knows transit,” he said.