This is a much better framing. It’s not that the project isn’t worth tackling, or even that it’s less worthy than other projects being built right now… (which is what I tried to explain in my posts) it’s just too big to add to our collective plate. And that is, in a very strong sense, extremely significant.
Full Expansion is more similar in scope to the Ontario Line than GO Expansion, which was noticeably pushed at the expense of other projects. Now, is it necessary? Yes. Is it worth prioritizing ahead of others? Likely yes too. BUT—we cannot confuse rapid political action for excess work capacity. Metrolinx’s is at the limit, and all other active projects are affected directly (GO Exp, funded projs) or indirectly (the LRTs, SSE, YNSE) from having time and energy diverted to something of this size.
The under-discussed consequence of trying to force things through is that we’ll pay significantly more to get contractors to A) take our work instead of something else’s’, and/or; B) find the additional labour needed to actually do that. And they don’t play fair on pricing, as we all know.
The Milton Line’s time will come. Perhaps planning work can start if it hasn’t already. But shovels will need to wait a while