Prepare for brutal commute along King St. during TIFF

It's almost the most wonderful time of the year in Toronto. That's right, TIFF kicks off next week and it's set to transform our city into a glittery, celebrity-filled hot spot, especially for the first four days of the festival when five blocks of King Street become a pedestrian-only promenade.

But not everyone's too pleased about this Festival Street initiative, especially if you rely on the 504 to get to and from work.

The streetcar will be diverted from September 8 to 11. According to the TTC website, the "504 King streetcar will be split into east and west sections. There will be no streetcar service between York Street and Charlotte Street."

Here's what service will look like next week:

East section: from Broadview Station, streetcars will travel west on King Street, south on Church Street, west on Wellington Street, north on York Street and east on King Street returning to Broadview Station.

West section: from Dundas West Station, streetcars will travel east on King Street, north on Spadina Avenue, east on Adelaide, south on Charlotte, west on King to Dundas West Station.

There will also be supplemental buses running, but be prepared for a significantly longer commute than usual.

As the Toronto Star reports, this King Street closure has had an impact on the TTC's service in the past. And even though the transit agency's brought its concerns to the city, Festival Street is a go for 2016.

Photo by Jesse Milns.

by Amy Grief via blogTO