micheal_can
Senior Member
I dunno dude, getting two heavy subway extensions to SC is a tall order. This would be more than what was aimed for in Network 2011. The current going rate for all-underground infrastructure for 150m trains is probably 10x the per km costs of early Yonge or Bloor. Wasn't the last quote for Sheppard extension in the $4bn range? That's not to say it doesn't have merit, but even with significant political/private push it's hard to imagine such a thing happening for decades.
Also, over the years we've seen development creep outside the SC planning district. Would a Sheppard extension terminating only at SC be seen as enough by the development industry? Interestingly previous modeling put an upgraded Line 3 extension to Sheppard/Markham as having roughly the same ridership as a subway extension to SC. Which goes to show that expansion can trump a transfer. This was using ancient data. Using more recent data, and considering that Line 3 was shown to have much better development potential, it's logical that Line 3's ridership projection would come out on top.
Line 3 is DOA now, but its E-W alignment through SC does show the potential of some kind of rapid transit bisecting Scarb Centre. I'd say email your local pols and let them know that if you want a Sheppard expansion soonish, the City/TTC should try and cut the costs significantly. I'm sure it can be done, and 4-car/100m max length for stations would provide more than enough capacity for this millennium. If this can cut the cost by a good margin, and perhaps allow for easterly expansion than previously proposed, I think it could gain traction.
I get what you are getting at.
The real issue comes down to how we build. We build not when the demand is there, but when there is an overwhelming political support is there. Eglinton Subway and Sheppard Subway are both examples of that.
There are busier streets that need Streetcars/LRT more than the ones they list as new lines. Steeles is a good example of that. No word on a Steeles LRT, is there?
Demand on the Queen and King lines are at a point that they need their own ROW. When will those be built?
The point?
This city needs at least double the Subway lines and km it has. The city could use likely triple the Streetcar/LRT it has now.
We are playing catch up for decades of nothing. We are paying for decades of promises being made and broken.
There are certain current natural extensions that should be built as subways. The replacement of the SRT is one of them.