evandyk
Senior Member
I think the earliest version of the Ontario line was proposed in 1910!
- Thread starter JasonParis
- Start date
Admiral Beez
Superstar
That’s a fair point. If I recall correctly, the Union Station project was announced in 2003, but shovels didn‘t start for another seven years.
Admiral Beez
Superstar
My niece goes to Trent University and as a first year student with four years ahead of her was pleased to hear that Go or Via train service has been announced to connect Peterborough with Toronto. Until she saw the service wouldn't be ready until 2030. In China they could build a HSR link from Windsor to Quebec City in that time. Why are we so damn slow at building anything, to the point that the managers who propose the project are nearly retired by the time it's completed?
Jonny5
Senior Member
Because no one wants to spend "now," they only want to announce things now and don't care what happens later as they will also be retired.
EDIT: Also, given the extremely low birth rates in China which the government seems unable to increase, even with changes to law and policy several years old now, I wouldn't be surprised to see China sleepwalk into a skills labour crisis in about ten years. What university graduates from the one child families in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai will voluntarily go out to the country-side for 20 years to pound in railway spikes? Maybe they will be "volunteered" to do it.
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Admiral Beez
Superstar
They’ll do the same thing Canada does for unpleasant, semiskilled labour…. Import it from the subcontinent.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
The rapid progress of the FWLRT really oughta dispel any notion that we “can’t” build rapidly. Rather, we choose not to.
The previous Liberal government would “fund” a project and then sit on their hands for 5+ years because they didn’t really want to spend the money out of fiscal considerations. Hence the seemingly slow progress.
The ECLRT likely could’ve been completed on a faster schedule if the government were willing to spend the allocated billions of dollars in a shorter period of time.
The Ford government is taking a much more rapid approach, however only time will tell if this pays off with more faster project completion. Planning and design is the easy part of transit expansion.
The previous Liberal government would “fund” a project and then sit on their hands for 5+ years because they didn’t really want to spend the money out of fiscal considerations. Hence the seemingly slow progress.
The ECLRT likely could’ve been completed on a faster schedule if the government were willing to spend the allocated billions of dollars in a shorter period of time.
The Ford government is taking a much more rapid approach, however only time will tell if this pays off with more faster project completion. Planning and design is the easy part of transit expansion.
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JSF-1
Active Member
I do think it is worth pointing out that in the case of the FWLRT the reason why construction is flying by is mostly due to the bulk of it being at grade. Obviously building at grade is significantly faster than building underground. We also see this on the Crosstown where the at-grade segment here in Scarborough is pretty much done; the line is being held up by the underground section. I am sure will see this again with the OL as the at-grade segment in Lesliville and the elevated segment in Thorncliff Park will no doubt be done months or maybe even years before the underground segments. I think it really does drive the point home that the future of subway construction in Toronto will be at-grade and elevated with underground segments reserved for only areas where it makes sense or there is no other option.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Yup, I’m happy that the OL has elevated segments, if only because it may finally break the “underground-or-nothing” regime we’ve had with higher order transit in this city.
I really hope MX aggressively pursues design and planning of the northern extension once planning for the south section is complete. With that segment being nearly 100% elevated, a northern extension could likely be open near-concurrently with the south section, further demonstrating the benefits of elevated transit.
JSF-1
Active Member
Yes. To me the only part of a northern extension of the OL that should be underground would be the stop at Don Mills. Given how deep the Sheppard Line platforms are, having the OL line platforms elevated there would be hilariously inefficient and could even negatively affect Don Mills Station as a transfer station between the Sheppard Line and the OL; which would defeat the purpose of connecting the OL and Sheppard Lines. Need I remind you of the whole debate surrounding the transfer at Kennedy Station? An elevated station at Don Mills would be that but worse. You want to make the transfer between the two lines as seamless and efficient as possible and give the depth of Don Mills Station we aren't hurting for underground real estate up there. The OL platforms don't even have to be that deep themselves. Everything south of Don Mills Station however could and should be elevated with elevated stops at Lawrence and York Mills.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Yeah, I completely agree.
This elevated extension would almost be comically inexpensive as well. We’d need elevated stations at Lawrence and York Mills and underground station at Sheppard.
Sheppard Station might cost in the ballpark of $400 Million, but I couldn’t imagine the rest of the extension costing any more than $1 Billion to build.
Considering the benefits to the Yonge Line, $1.5 Billion, or even $2 Billion (if we’re being conservative) for this extension is such a no brainer.
generalcanada
Senior Member
youre right but since the north section construction actually starts like 2-3 years later than the tunneling of the south....theres a chance that unlike the crosstown where the above ground sections are already complete we could have it actually opened at the same time
Ciarlandini
Active Member
A subway... under MAPLE LEAF DRIVE?
innsertnamehere
Superstar
And just like that, the Ontario Line is "under construction". Preliminary works have begun on the Lakeshore East corridor:
nfitz
Superstar
That's the preliminary works for the 4th Lakeshore East track - east of Jones. It's different contracts than the the piece of Lakeshore line west of Jones where they are adding the Ontario line.
The works east of Jones have been puttering away since last Spring.
generalcanada
Senior Member
concept for exhibition early works
Also apperently this construction might start by the end of the year,
also found in the meeting is a report asking toronto city council permission for the previously mentioned queen street closure for 4.5 years...would be funny if council voted it down
Also about when the first "construction started" I would say that you should separate the GO Expansion with Ontario line, even though stuff is the same there.
They already have started the archeological dig for the corktown station. soooo ya thats the first i would say