Tuscani01
Senior Member
Steel framing is all up at Science Centre station:
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BurlOak
Senior Member
That's true to some degree. Those who were pushing for Transit City never thought about a DRL.
Those who had even a remote clue of what they were doing knew that the DRL had to farther north than bloor.
From 1969 https://swanboatsteve.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/globe19690918map.jpg
Monarch Butterfly
Superstar
What a wasteland of parking lots and single-story buildings along that route. Ripe for redevelopment.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
LOL @ 1:25 in that video. Illustrates how badly staging of construction has been on this project. Literally two rows of left turning cars turning into each other.
salsa
Senior Member
Steve X
Senior Member
It was always designed to be put in the middle of the road at that location. Rob Ford got ML to change to an elevated line with ML doing little work on it. The plan was reverted to the original EA so there will be no need to consult with city council for an EA amendment. ML thought one amendment by shifting the line at Black Creek to an elevated structure was enough trouble. No one wanted to redo the EA and reconsult with the community again. They were getting close to tendering and more changes risk more delays.
Since they were able to shift the tracks north over Black Creek, they could have done the same too for Leslie. ML was keen to have the line connect to the MSF without traffic so they can use ATO. If they haven't done so, I bet half this thread will be full of people whining about it.
Clearly no one can follow line markings in TO. The lead car has to take most of the blame, the rest of the idiots followed. "I'm gonna turn like I do in every intersection without looking at what i'm driving into". I don't know what lane the east to north lead car is turning into? Maybe he hopes to hit the right turning bus? Or the pedestrians behind the pylon?
sixrings
Senior Member
The video makes me miss Scarborough. At least I can visit it without a car soon.
Allandale25
Superstar
Just to be clear, is my memory not correct that while Mayor Ford may have encouraged ML to look at an elevated route for the Laird-Kennedy portion, he didn't get it passed through Council. When the matter finally did come to Council they voted for the EA recommended surface alignment (there many have been other LRT lines included as well in the motion).
In other words, there was no public information provided (by City staff or ML) on what an elevated option would have looked like or involved. Also, for "The plan was reverted to the original EA so there will be no need to consult with city council for an EA amendment" do you mean "The plan was reverted to the original EA so there was
TransitBart
Senior Member
That is very weird.
salsa
Senior Member
I thought Rob Ford wanted the entire line underground, so I'm unsure where @Steve X gets that "Rob Ford got ML to change to an elevated line" (unless it's non-public information).
That aside... not mentioned at all in this discussion is that Metrolinx pushed to have the section between Laird and Don Mills changed to a bored tunnel beneath the Don Valley, with the Leslie and Ferrand Dr stops eliminated. They may have considered other surface options, but those were rejected in favor of a tunnel. Of course the documents have since been deleted as per Metrolinx's usual contempt for transparency, however I managed to pull a few slides from the deep web from a public consultation.
This article goes into much more detail as to what transpired at the time, including what happened with the "south side alignment".
Metrolinx Announces Design Changes and Public Meetings on Eglinton LRT (Update 8)
Updated June 17, 2013 at 6:15 pm: In the comment thread for this article, there has been substantial discussion about a “south side option” for the Eglinton LRT between the portal at Br…
stevemunro.ca
As for why we switched back to the original plan, you and @Steve X are correct. To elaborate... political posturing by councillor Robinson on behalf of some Leaside residents put pressure on Metrolinx to back down on eliminating the Leslie stop. The only way this would be feasible is to either go back to the original surface alignment, or pursue the "south side alignment". However because the latter would have required approval from city council, which at the time was too busy ripping up transit plans every six months and dealing with the mayor's crack scandal, Metrolinx had no confidence in their ability to make a decision in a timely manner and stick with it. Needless to say, "Fuck it, we're not touching you guys with a ten foot pole" was the easiest thing to do.
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Neutrino
Senior Member
Toronto in a nut shell.
nfitz
Superstar
I've not even solid indication of that. He campaigned on no line of any kind on Eglinton.
Some of his staff may have pushed underground ... or was it Stintz? Is there any indication that Rob Ford was ever sober enough to know the difference? I"m not seeing any particular statements ...
Perhaps someone should read up the thousand pages of this thread. Though does it really matter what such an atrocious and failed Mayor might have thought?
Neighbours pushing for elevated with all the extra noise? That would be unique. Car drivers who didn't live nearby maybe.
BurlOak
Senior Member
I think locals were in favour of the elevated alignment.
BurlOak
Senior Member
The Memorandum of Understanding said the line would be underground, with portions in Don Valley and near Eglinton elevated. With the two branches of the Don River, that means over half elevated.
They did not consider any options. They said due to slope stability problems, it was imposible to put the Brentcliffe portal in the original EA approved location, so they proposed tunneling all the way to Don Mills. When locals complained about losing the Leslie stop, they said that station (underground, but deep) would cost $60M and that was too much. I don't recall any complaints about losing the Ferrand stop - which was the correct reaction. Then when the public was still unhappy, they reverted to the "impossible" original EA Brentcliffe portal and routing through Leslie.
I had read Steve for a number of years prior to this date. He always was convinced that putting the LRT in the median through Leslie was an oversight and it was bound to be corrected in detailed design. We kept waiting and waiting, but it never happened. I am convinced that some in the design team preferred it in median as it would hurt cars significantly.This article goes into much more detail as to what transpired at the time, including what happened with the "south side alignment".
Metrolinx Announces Design Changes and Public Meetings on Eglinton LRT (Update 8)
Updated June 17, 2013 at 6:15 pm: In the comment thread for this article, there has been substantial discussion about a “south side option” for the Eglinton LRT between the portal at Br…
BurlOak
Senior Member
I recall this. Basically they said they screwed up the design and there was no time to fix it.