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Toronto is moving ahead with new priority bus lanes along one of the city's most congestion-plagued streets, aiming to improve transit reliability for the tens of thousands of daily riders, plus countless fans and tourists ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup . As part of its RapidTO: Dufferin Street program , the City will be installing priority bus lanes on Dufferin Street between Dundas Street West and Dufferin Station. The broader program's corridor stretches from Bloor Street West to King Street West. The project, which was approved by City Council last July , is designed to speed up transit service along the street, which, at one point, was the fifth-busiest surface transit corridor in the TTC's network. Despite serving more than 40,000 weekday riders, the transit agency found that only 55 per cent of buses prior to the project ran on time during the afternoon rush hour, with average speeds of just 14 km/h, earning the 29 Dufferin route its infamous "29 Sufferin" nickname . Work on the new priority bus lanes is expected to begin in mid-April and conclude in late May, starting with signage installation, followed by the application of red paint. Previous work on the corridor, including priority lanes between King Street West and Dundas Street West, wrapped up in December, and the upcoming phase is set to extend traffic management improvements further north. An overview of the street's loading zones and road rules once installation is completed. Photo: City of Toronto. Once finished, the redesign will bring several notable changes, including one dedicated bus lane and one general traffic lane in each direction, the removal of all on-street parking, including one-hour and unsigned parking, new loading zones, and adjustments to traffic signal timing. Priority lanes will be reserved for TTC vehicles, Wheel-Trans, cyclists, school buses, and emergency vehicles, meaning drivers will no longer be permitted to park in curb lanes and will need to rely on nearby side streets, laneways, and parking lots. The City says local residents might notice a strong smell during installation as the red paint is applied. This smell generated concerns from the community during the most recent priority lane installation in November, although the City has stated that the odour is temporary and will dissipate within a few days. Officials added that the project is a key step in reducing delays on the congested street and improving service reliability, especially as Toronto prepares to welcome hundreds of thousands of soccer fans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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