The Cherry Street branch is currently served by the 504A King streetcar route which has its eastern terminus at Distillery Loop.

[4] Running on a separated right-of-way, the branch line is approximately 700 metres (0.43 mi) long and has three stops, each with a platform.

Completion and opening of the branch were delayed until after the 2015 Pan American Games; the new streetcar right-of-way crossed the security zone of the competition's Athletes Village.

Along Queens Quay, painted turn lane lines were not clear enough to discourage motorists from accidentally getting onto the streetcar right-of-way and then being trapped there.

[19][20] As part of the framework for redevelopment of Toronto's Port Lands, the city is aiming to have 55 percent of all trips to the area made by public transit.

One reason for the change was the risk of conflict with construction of the planned Ontario Line, which is to run under Distillery Loop.

Another reason was that a connection to Queens Quay would require that Distillery Loop be relocated to make way for a streetcar passage under the Union Station Rail Corridor.

The planners for the East Bayfront LRT considered, at the time, four alternative methods of passing under the railway corridor, scheduled for a later project, preferring either option 3 or 4:[3]: 48