Getting the dirt on subway stations
Data provided by TTC shows 19 of the 20 dirtiest stations are on Bloor-Danforth line
Line 2: the dirtier way.
That’s according to data provided by the TTC that shows 19 of the 20 dirtiest stations are on the BloorDanforth line.
“We are going to be working extra diligently on Line 2 stations,” said spokesperson Stuart Green, who explained that the TTC was aware of the issue. “(TTC CEO) Andy Byford has made station cleanliness a priority,” Green said, adding that it’s one of the first things riders notice when evaluating the transit system.
While the TTC has made steady improvements in its station cleanliness scores — from 61 per cent in the second quarter of 2008 to 73.7 per cent in the second quarter of 2017 — it rarely meets its goal of 75 per cent. In the 36 evaluations since 2008, the TTC has only met or exceeded its target six times.
In the most recent quarter, 39 of 69 stations failed to meet or surpass the 75-per-cent threshold. St. George was the only one of 31 Bloor-Danforth stations to receive a pass.
Green attributed part of the problem to Line 2 having a larger number of open stations exposed to the elements and debris. When it was pointed out that the two best performing stations, Rosedale and Davisville, are also open-air stations, Green explained that they are belowgrade and thus more protected.
“They’re not exposed to the elements the way Warden or Keele are,” he said.
“Every station is different,” Green said, adding that the architecture and even the way the wind blows can make a big impact.
“If you’re near the viaduct, there’s a greater likelihood that something from the overpass or the DVP can get into a station.”
Green says improvements are on the way.
The TTC is in the midst of procuring high-pressure machines that can clean the yellow terrazzo on the edge of subway platforms. Green said the TTC will look at why Line 2 stations tend to be less clean and how this can be prevented before deciding whether they need to allocate more staff.
The audits are administered by a third-party firm called the Surge Group.
They evaluate different categories, including litter, elevators, stairs, glass and more. Each category is scored out of five and then combined into a percentage. The 10 dirtiest TTC stations, from dirtiest to cleanest: Woodbine, Dundas West, Chester, Scarborough TC, Donlands, Old Mill, Coxwell, Main, Dufferin, Pape The 10 cleanest TTC stations, from cleanest to dirtiest: Rosedale, Davisville, King, Downsview, Wellesley, Museum, Queen, Ellesmere, North York Centre, Dundas