As an avid TTC user and a St. Clair West local, I'm happy to announce that the Time Based Transfer system has finally made it the 512 St. Clair route. It may by the TTC's tactic for appeasing upset residents, but it's a good idea and hopefully one that will stick.

The pilot project, launched this weekend, means that you can now obtain a transfer that is good for travel at any time and in any direction along St. Clair (as well as transfer points like usual) for up to 2 hours or until the expiry time noted on the transfer.

With this positive step forward, the TTC becomes much more accessible for local commuters, and I commend them for that. At the same time though, it's hard to ignore the timeliness of this new project.

The majority of residents of this huge strip are still fuming over city council and the TTC deciding to go ahead with the "improvement" project that will see St. Clair turned into a Spadina-like TTC route in the next few years.

The multi million dollar project means the sidewalks will be cut, traffic lanes reduced, left turns near impossible and parking eliminated... all this to make the route 6 minutes faster (no kidding, I know).

So before construction begins, this gift of Time Based Transfers has been given to residents. Perhaps it's a peace offering, perhaps a gag-cloth, but either way, make the most of it and go for a multiple-stop ride on the 512 St. Clair Streetcar.