In an attempt to take advantage of a lull in commuters during Toronto's long-running lockdown, the TTC has decided to complete a ton of work along the city's key subway route, Line 1 Yonge-University, later this month.

Though most closures for this type of maintenance work usually only span a weekend, the transit authority has decided to shut down the line from St. George Station down to St. Andrew Station for 10 days in a row.

Line 1: From Mar. 15 to 24, there will be no service between St George and St Andrew stations due to tunnel improvements. Shuttle buses will run frequently. Regular service resumes Mar. 25. Visit https://t.co/JQObTkLkfy for more info. pic.twitter.com/pnBGZbA75u

— TTC Service Alerts (@TTCnotices) March 4, 2021

Those looking to get around the city from March 15 to the 24th will have to take shuttle buses in lieu or consider other options if their plans included hopping on the rocket at any of the six stops along Queen's Park/University Avenue between Bloor and King Streets.

Museum, St. Patrick, Queen's Park and Osgoode Stations will remain completely closed to the public between the dates, the commission said in a news release, in which it also notes that it is tackling integral upgrades now "to capitalize on reduced ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic" and pose the littlest inconvenience to transitgoers.

The #TTC is making some pandemic lemonade. March 15-25 Line 1 closures should help reduce maintenance closures longer term while ridership is down.

A similar closure was done in December 2020, allowing the TTC to complete more than two years’ worth of work in 10 days. pic.twitter.com/HDy22N5ED1

— Brad Bradford✌️ (@BradMBradford) March 4, 2021

As noted by Ward 19 Beaches-East York City Councillor Brad Bradford, maintenance that would have taken more than two years to do under normal circumstances and foot traffic was finished in just 10 days of service suspension at the end of 2020.

Service along the usually busy route should resume at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 25.

Another much briefer closure will see service cut from Finch to St. Clair Station on the other side of the Line 1 subway over this weekend, March 5-7, for track work.

We'll have to see if Toronto's passage into the grey zone of lockdown, which is expected to take place early next week, will have an impact on commuter numbers.