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I think this revised plan is a step in the right direction. Having the cross-town Eglinton LRT underground is a far more suitable option than having it in the median. A faster, more efficient trip for riders is worth the additional cost. My experiences on the St. Clair ROW and Spadina Streetcar have not been positive ones.

Just a question: Does putting the Eglinton cross-town underground allow for the possibility of a conversion to subway in the future? I know the tunnels will be wide enough for subway cars, but there is also the additional question of converting the shorter LRT platforms to subway length, and removing the electric cables from the top of the tunnels etc. which may be too costly to even bother pursuing.
 
The article below discusses Toronto's Transit Plan.
 
I'm so happy that Rob "Gravy Train" Ford was elected to provide less for more money..
Atta cut the wasteful spending there! We have a plan fully designed and funded, and pay millions of taxpayer dollars to cut it and replace it with less.. Fantastic! Great job!
 
It's unfortunate that Finch west is no longer getting a LRT but they will still benefit immensely from the Spadina extension. I think putting the Eglinton cross-town underground is the right thing to do when viewed long term. Toronto is continually growing and the commute is getting worse because of all these cars on the road, driven by people dissatisfied with the extant TTC service.

As for the private funding model, I don't whether there is a viable business model to entice any private investor. Maybe Mayor Ford should go on Dragon's Den.

Also, I don't know much about Presto, but I do hope that this system, once implemented, can be used to charge on a usage-basis. People travelling from Yong/Finch to Bloor should be paying more than one going from say Eglinton to Bloor. This will encourage more people to use the subway and not simply drive everywhere.

I don't care what people say about Mayor Ford. I think he is doing at least a decent job in actually things done.
 
While this is better than what I originally thought we were going to get when Rob Ford was elected and declared Transit City "dead", I can't help but wonder if (when?) the city fails to raise the necessary money through development fees, will the city just can the Sheppard extension or will the taxpayers of the city be on the hook for billions?

Again, I'm not displeased with what I see here (the DRL is what I most want to see but I accept that that's a different program and was not even included in Transit City), I just am truly curious given Rob Ford's stance on fiscal prudence and wasteful spending in the city. Sure there will no longer be surface transit eating up space for cars on Sheppard East, but the city is now exposed to a lot more risk that, if gone badly, could endanger transit expansion (the DRL in particular) for decades while we collectively 'lick our wounds'.
 
If they're going to the expense of digging tunnels, why not just opt for heavy rail since HR cars will carry far more passengers and in fact be more rapid?
 
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Rob Ford's plan to keep things underground IMO is the smart way to go. The system won't be boggled down by regular traffic making it that much more efficient. You're never going to get rid of the car and I don't believe building more LRT will curb the increase in traffic year after year. Having surface LRT is going to make matters worse by taking away car lanes. So even though this new plan is serving less people w/ the same amount of money, I don't think it's a waste.
 
Alex S said:
Rob Ford's plan to keep things underground IMO is the smart way to go. The system won't be boggled down by regular traffic making it that much more efficient. You're never going to get rid of the car and I don't believe building more LRT will curb the increase in traffic year after year. Having surface LRT is going to make matters worse by taking away car lanes. So even though this new plan is serving less people w/ the same amount of money, I don't think it's a waste.
Click to expand...

1. None of the proposed LRT lines involved taking away car lanes.

2. Spending more for less doesn't make sense. It's essentially "disrespect for taxpayers" as it's being done on a purely political basis. Above ground doesn't automatically mean interfering with traffic. There's nothing preventing LRTS from being run in a trench above ground like the subway.
 
Now THAT looks like a big city transit system.
And not Mayor Miller's half baked "Tommy the Trolley" network....bringing mediocrity to all corners of the city.
 
valvenis said:
1. None of the proposed LRT lines involved taking away car lanes.

2. Spending more for less doesn't make sense. It's essentially "disrespect for taxpayers" as it's being done on a purely political basis. Above ground doesn't automatically mean interfering with traffic. There's nothing preventing LRTS from being run in a trench above ground like the subway.
Click to expand...

1. Even if it does get a dedicated line, it is still taking away 2 lanes that could be used for road expansion. Plus, above ground LRTs would be subject to traffic lights, which will slow things down. I can't give you any numbers but I would argue that the average speed underground is much higher than above ground even if the LRTs got separate lanes.

2. I agree the reach of the project is definitely less for the money being paid. But, the quality of service on Eglington, I would argue, will be much better. I don't live in Finch West but if the congestion is as bad as they say, then I would also argue that subway or underground LRT is the way to go. Maybe Ford should do the Finch West subway first rather than the Dowsview to Sheppard line.
 
valvenis said:
1. None of the proposed LRT lines involved taking away car lanes.

2. Spending more for less doesn't make sense. It's essentially "disrespect for taxpayers" as it's being done on a purely political basis. Above ground doesn't automatically mean interfering with traffic. There's nothing preventing LRTS from being run in a trench above ground like the subway.
Click to expand...

When I say spending more for less meant smart spending even though it's serving less people but at the same time prioritizing where it's being spent, ie Eglington Ave. and making the entire subway system make sense.

Btw, where would this above ground trench be? If it's not taking away car lanes than does that mean we're taking away possible car lane expansion?
 
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