How can a NEW Transit Line be THIS BAD!? (Finch West LRT)

Quick Overview

The Finch West LRT is performing poorly upon opening in December 2025 because it is significantly slower than the bus line it replaced, averaging only 14 km/h due to frequent stops at intersections and a car-centric design that prioritizes private vehicles, which is frustrating transit advocates who expected better performance given the project's high cost and the successful modern LRT systems elsewhere.

Key Points: The Finch West LRT opened in December 2025, but its travel time for the 10.3 km route was 43 minutes, averaging only 14 km/h, which is slower than the bus route it replaced. The slow speed is attributed to the LRT stopping at every intersection and having no signal priority, forcing it to wait for cars, buses, and cyclists. The project cost $3.5 billion, and critics argue that the car-centric design, which includes stations adjacent to surface parking lots, prioritizes private vehicles over transit riders. The operator for the line is the TTC, which inherited a route design that was already flawed, leading to poor performance. The speaker contrasts the poor performance with other modern LRT systems globally (like in Bergen, Norway, and Luxembourg) and the successful streetcar operation in downtown Toronto, which prioritize transit. The speaker notes that the Finch West LRT station design is nice, featuring modern architecture and accessible facilities like elevators and ramps. The fundamental issue is perceived to be a design philosophy that favors car movement (e.g., slow speed limits for trams at intersections, no transit signal priority) over efficient public transit.

Context: The video discusses the disappointing performance of the newly opened Finch West LRT in Toronto, Canada, which began service in December 2025. The speaker contrasts the new line's slow speeds and car-centric design with more successful, modern light rail transit systems in other international cities (like Luxembourg and Bergen) and even Toronto's existing streetcar network, highlighting the frustration among transit advocates who expected better results from such a large infrastructure investment.