M II A II R II K
Senior Member
Or keep it as a Transitway and extend it on both ends.
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asher__jo
Active Member
I'm not sure why this ridiculous idea would even be entertained.
Recycling the SRT
The ink was barely dry on the TTC’s recent proposal that service on the SRT end in mid-2023 when the inevitable question was posed: what should be done with the infrastructure and right-of-wa…stevemunro.ca
Apparently, one benefit of converting SRT to a busway is that the buses can run straight into Kennedy station and use the former SRT loop. No need to exit the busway at the south end.
Once the subway opens and the busway is no longer needed .. converting to a bike path sounds like a good idea.
Rainforest
Senior Member
But which idea do you consider ridiculous? Converting the SRT route to busway? Or converting it to the bike path in the future?
NIV
New Member
Building ground level bridge subway station at McCowan/Lawrence will save considerable time and money.
The TBM would be extracted north of Lawrence station and then relaunched south of it (Roughly 500 meters). Work on all three stations including track and tunnel infrastructure can now commence on this north section. No need to wait for tunnel completion to Kennedy!
Material for southern half of tunnel could then be distributed through this second shallow launch point. No need to transport dirt and tunnel casings the full 7.8 km length back and forth from Sheppard.
Moving station to the east side of McCowan will minimize noise for hospital. Multiple nine story excavation shafts are no longer needed.
Original deep tunnel made sense when this was a one stop line, not now. Building the deepest station in the entire system is obviously going to be very costly. Building a simple all glass bridge station like Old Mill saves time and money.
The TBM would be extracted north of Lawrence station and then relaunched south of it (Roughly 500 meters). Work on all three stations including track and tunnel infrastructure can now commence on this north section. No need to wait for tunnel completion to Kennedy!
Material for southern half of tunnel could then be distributed through this second shallow launch point. No need to transport dirt and tunnel casings the full 7.8 km length back and forth from Sheppard.
Moving station to the east side of McCowan will minimize noise for hospital. Multiple nine story excavation shafts are no longer needed.
Original deep tunnel made sense when this was a one stop line, not now. Building the deepest station in the entire system is obviously going to be very costly. Building a simple all glass bridge station like Old Mill saves time and money.
turini2
Active Member
Realistically, if any of the SRT route is used for a busway, it will be between Lawrence East and the North parking lot at Kennedy, as Steve's excellent post explains.
Other sections would be too narrow, there's a tunnel too low for buses or parts where the work required would be too expensive!
Other sections would be too narrow, there's a tunnel too low for buses or parts where the work required would be too expensive!
KhalilHeron
Active Member
Conveniently the section between lawrence and Kennedy already has a recreational trail for most of its length, so if busses ran along that stretch and a bike/walking path was built along the whole corridor they wouldn’t interfere with eachother.
asher__jo
Active Member
Well the whole idea is premised on it first being converted to a busway. An elevated park would be a great idea.
Rainforest
Senior Member
Got it. Well, the elevated guideway running from McCowan to Midland is, apparently, too narrow for the buses anyway. If desired, the city can convert it into a park, or park + bike path.
The other part of the route, that starts at Kennedy and runs north at the surface level, should be temporarily converted to a busway. At least, the wider section from Kennedy to Lawrence. From Lawrence to Ellesmere, it is debatable as 2 bus lanes might not fit.
The busway will help the buses run faster between Kennedy and STC, while the subway is being build. Faster buses are better for the riders, and better for the TTC budget. If the buses turn around faster, you need fewer buses to maintain the desired frequency and capacity.
Once the subway is in operation, the busway won't be needed any more. Then the space usage should be decided upon between Metrolinx (widening the Stouffville GO corridor for a more frequent service) and the city that might want some room for a bike path.
syn
Senior Member
My recommendation would be double decker buses. This will double the capacity. I would also attach rockets to the buses to enhance their speed. This way they'll be the real "Red Rockets" the people of Scarborough deserve, rather than an abstract idea the latte-drinking downtown elites spend all day pondering in their art galleries and museums.
KhalilHeron
Active Member
Allandale25
Senior Member
You shall not...LRT.
Rainforest
Senior Member
"City Solicitor Wendy Walberg explains Toronto is legally prohibited from working on any projects that are “substantially similar” to the Scarborough subway."
Is a busway "substantially similar" to subway? What about a busway that only runs from Kennedy to Lawrence, and is supplemented by on-street bus lanes from there to STC?
If someone really wants to practice legalistic idiocy, one can say that even buses running in mixed traffic but carrying a subway-like volume of riders represent an entity "substantially similar" to subway.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
"Thou shall not LRT" was part of the commandments decreed by the Great Leader, Doug Ford.
"So let it be written, so let it be done."
Allandale25
Senior Member
^ What I don't get about staff saying nothing can be done to compete with the SSE and so something in the RT corridor can't be looked at is the length of time it'll take for the SSE to open. Is the Province worried Council would refuse to close the transit in the RT corridor?
Couldn't the City and Province just sign an agreement to close whatever is on the RT corridor the day the SSE opens? I guess this is all predicated on the TTC actually being able to do something with the corridor which I don't know they've confirmed yet.
Update:
Couldn't the City and Province just sign an agreement to close whatever is on the RT corridor the day the SSE opens? I guess this is all predicated on the TTC actually being able to do something with the corridor which I don't know they've confirmed yet.
Update:
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NIV
New Member
Challenges for busway in this area for sure. Widen where possible. Removing fence on west side, replace with regular raised curb, install new straight fence on east side. Province should also look at encroaching on properties on west side between corridor and Nantucket.
Not a pleasing stretch for future bike rides and walks. Province might want to consider buying/rezoning properties on west block for future residential and parks.