[TJ O'Pootertoot]

I remember when I read that York Region cancelled the bus lanes on Yonge, because they were anticipating Yonge Subway extension. What a dumb move.

I've posted the details at some point on the Yonge subway thread so I'm not going to Google the exact dates again but it was LITERALLY the week that York Region council was set to approve the expropriations for the BRT on Yonge that McGuinty announced Move2020 (I think the announcement was a Tues or Wed and council was voting on Thurs.). In that context it made COMPLETE sense for them to hold off and pursue the subway. They did everything they were supposed to up to completing the EA. To have gone ahead with tearing up Yonge Street - not to mention spending billions on it - while the province's plan for the extension was down in black and white would have been nothing less than "a dumb move." The BRT would now be under construction but it also would have been totally inadequate for the 2031 population the same provincial government mandated (and likely inadequate for 2015 ridership) AND provided Torontonians with ammo to argue those darned suburbanites don't need a subway now that they have BRT.

The problem wasn't the region's decision; it was the feds not coming through with the $6B the province expected (or hoped) to get all 15 of those initial projects built + Metrolinx taking forever to finish its "investment strategy" which will likely be no more elaborate than the 2008 Toronto Board of Trade report on transit funding.

Further, as I recall, the TTC plans for BRT from Finch to Steeles were not particularly well co-ordinated with the Viva plans which just goes to show that the whole problem with this entire enterprise is the lack of a REGIONAL plan, or at least one that's funded or implementable, so let's place the blame where it lies. God forbid a suburban municipality commits whole hog to rapid transit and intensification!

 

[gweed123]

Further, as I recall, the TTC plans for BRT from Finch to Steeles were not particularly well co-ordinated with the Viva plans which just goes to show that the whole problem with this entire enterprise is the lack of a REGIONAL plan, or at least one that's funded or implementable, so let's place the blame where it lies. God forbid a suburban municipality commits whole hog to rapid transit and intensification!

Sounds a lot like Mississauga waiting for the Hurontario LRT funding.

 

[ssiguy2]

The feds maynot have come thru the the expected $6 billion but atleast the feds are putting up $300 for TC {Sheppard} which is exactly $300 million more than Toronto is willing to spend.

My hat does go off to York Region in that it has tried to implement transit priority but most importantly are willing to put their money where their industrial size mouths are. How can Toronto possibly bitch at Ottawa when they have put money into the TC and Toronto hasn't? This is made even more pathetic by the fact that Toronto was given the money 3 years ago for stimulus during the recession and still hasn't spent any of it. As for the this crap that Ford cancelled Sheppard LRT that does not explain why the city didn't go ahead and build the DM to Consumers underground section which was part of TC and Ford wanted it aswell. That section could have already be opening but for Toronto's buearocracy, incompetence, incredible poor planning, and political inertia by all parties.