[innsertnamehere]

they didn't seem to spend too much time on the actual layout of the system though. I sure as hell hope they are ready to make some major revisions to it. (hopefully through the timing of the individual lines, leading to people realizing that the money pit parts of the plan are exactly that, a waste of money)

 

[BurlOak]

The next Ontario election isn't due until 2015 ... no reason to think Ford would be around by then, even if Hudak is.

And no reason to think there'd be an election before then, with the strongest minority government in history. Could be a majority government soon, if the Liberals take Kitchener-Waterloo in the upcoming by-election.

The last minority government in Ontario lasted just over 2 years (Lib - NPD in the 1980's). The longest minority governments in Canadian history were Stephen Harper, followed by Stephen Harper - both about 2.5 years. There was a longer federal Liberal minority under William Lyon Mackenzie King in the 1920's, but due to floor crossing, it was not a minority for the full time (almost 4 years). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_minority_governments_in_Canada

So unless the by-election goes the Liberals way, the odds are we will see an election in or before 2013.

 

[Electrify]

Hopefully this will load. If people are having problems, let me know and I will use Photobucket instead of Google Drive.

Anyways, I wanted to focus on the lines with the most regional impact, so some of the smaller BRT and LRT lines didn't make the cut. I also cut out the express trains, since GO is already pursuing these and will most likely operate them.

Legend from west to east:
Brown - MiWay BRT
Light blue - Finch West LRT
Orange - Eglinton-Crosstown
Green - Bloor-Danforth-Scarborough (1)
Red - Jane LRT (2)
Purple - Downtown-Sheppard
Yellow - Yonge-University
Blue - Sheppard East LRT (3)
Dark green - Ellesmere-Hwy 2 BRT (4)

Notes:
1. Ends at Markville Mall/Centennial GO station in Markham
2. Ends at Vaughan Mills Mall in Vaughan
3. Operates two branches: One to Malvern Town Centre, second to Morningside
4. Operated by Durham Region Transit

Looking at this map, I am starting to think that the Downtown-Sheppard line could continue up Jane to create a loop. Not only might it be a great transit route, but it might make the map look freakishly like the TTC emblem...

 

[Amy Rose]

I know this is quite early to talk about, but If the Etobicoke and Scarborough express rail lines see the light of day and is operated by the TTC, chances are, they might probably follow the same fare standards as the downtown express routes and the routes leaving Toronto (extra fare).

 

[datamouse]

With all the trouble the provincials have been having (just barely getting its budget passed for one) there's a darn good chance of another election next year. Hudak doesn't like the LRTs and has argued for the province to use its final word to cancel them (or bury them) but the PC are always going up and down in the polls so who knows if they'll be the big contender in the next election.

 

[gweed123]

I know this is quite early to talk about, but If the Etobicoke and Scarborough express rail lines see the light of day and is operated by the TTC, chances are, they might probably follow the same fare standards as the downtown express routes and the routes leaving Toronto (extra fare).

I would assume that would be valid. But I'd still like to see it run by GO.

I'd also hope that by the time those lines are actually up and running that the TTC would have some sort of fare zone system back in place, so the idea of having a "premium express service" wouldn't be such a shock to the system.

 

[gweed123]

After thinking about this a little bit more, I think that there are 3 projects included on here that, even if they were the only 3 that actually managed to get through (and based on the TTC's track record with planned vs built, I'd say 20% is optimistic), I'd still consider the plan a success:

1) Bloor-Danforth Subway Extension
2) Don Mills Subway
3) Eglinton LRT West extension

In my opinion, those are the only 3 "we need these or we're up Shit's Creek" projects (assuming the 3 current TC projects go ahead as planned). The other ones, while they may be nice to have, the consequences of not having them are not system failure like they are with the 1st 2, and to a certain extent the 3rd (not having a connection to the Airport is a 1st World fail).

The other ones are lines serving a particular area, or filling in a gap in the system.

Those are the 3 that should be focused on, and the ones that need to proceed pretty much no matter what.

 

[jje1000]

How quick some are to turn around and deny what they had once espoused.

Only a few months ago, Ford's allies were looking to save his subway plans- through property taxes.

http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/20/scarborough-councillors-look-to-save-subway-plan

 

[andrewpmk]

After thinking about this a little bit more, I think that there are 3 projects included on here that, even if they were the only 3 that actually managed to get through (and based on the TTC's track record with planned vs built, I'd say 20% is optimistic), I'd still consider the plan a success:

1) Bloor-Danforth Subway Extension
2) Don Mills Subway
3) Eglinton LRT West extension

In my opinion, those are the only 3 "we need these or we're up Shit's Creek" projects (assuming the 3 current TC projects go ahead as planned). The other ones, while they may be nice to have, the consequences of not having them are not system failure like they are with the 1st 2, and to a certain extent the 3rd (not having a connection to the Airport is a 1st World fail).

The other ones are lines serving a particular area, or filling in a gap in the system.

Those are the 3 that should be focused on, and the ones that need to proceed pretty much no matter what.

The airport area is a massive employment area however and suffers from severe traffic congestion. Traffic on 401 west in the morning is terrible. Eglinton to the airport is desperately needed.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

There is no way for a plan based on Toronto's property tax to include funding for subway stations located outside 416.

Once the Finch to Steeles extension is funded, York Region will probably find funding for the extension to Hwy 7. Previously, York Region was pushing Toronto for the Yonge extension; now the roles are reversed. There is nothing wrong with that.

Let's be honest here: it's not like the City of Toronto is going to fund and build and operate any of this without the province chipping in most of the money. The province is probably not going to hand Toronto another blank cheque to build the latest commissioner's fantasy map when they can fund projects ready to go that overwrite OneCity components. If only the segment to Steeles was built, maybe more lump dollars could be diverted to the peripheral pet project lines by keeping funding feudally contained within the 416, though I think it's more a case of, "Oh, the details don't matter...just get everything onto one map and show off our HAPPY TRANSIT BUFFET!"

York is still pushing for the Yonge extension, but now Toronto is implying that a position of, "Yes, extend Yonge! (but if it just goes to Steeles, that's okay, too)" is acceptable.

 

[GenerationW]

The EA for Yonge to Richmond Hill is done, and Queen's Park and Ottawa (and York Region) are eager to fund it as soon as the stars properly align later this decade. The idea that Toronto will go it alone on an extension to Steeles only and put further provincial funding at risk is ridiculous. As far as Yonge is concerned, our fair city is pretty much a passenger.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Cal me when they start digging up Yonge GenerationW. Until then, it's a pipe dream.

 

[Rainforest]

Let's be honest here: it's not like the City of Toronto is going to fund and build and operate any of this without the province chipping in most of the money. The province is probably not going to hand Toronto another blank cheque to build the latest commissioner's fantasy map when they can fund projects ready to go that overwrite OneCity components. If only the segment to Steeles was built, maybe more lump dollars could be diverted to the peripheral pet project lines by keeping funding feudally contained within the 416, though I think it's more a case of, "Oh, the details don't matter...just get everything onto one map and show off our HAPPY TRANSIT BUFFET!"

York is still pushing for the Yonge extension, but now Toronto is implying that a position of, "Yes, extend Yonge! (but if it just goes to Steeles, that's okay, too)" is acceptable.

First of all, the province or feds will not chip in anything close to 10 billion at the time of massive deficits. At most, they will support specific projects; Yonge extension might be one of them.

Secondly, yes it is acceptable if Yonge subway extends to Steeles only. That will dramatically reduce the number of buses the crawl through the Yonge mess, cut the travel times, and enable shorter headways on the subway if they bother to build tail tracks with crossovers at Steels. The only drawback of the Steeles-only extension is that they will build a bus mega-terminal to handle all the VIVA and YRT routes, which will become redundant once the subway is extended further north.

That said, a phased extension is unlikely given the advanced state of York Region's subway studies. When (and if) the Toronto's plan takes off, York will almost certainly come up with a combination of its own and provincial funds for the section north of Steeles.

 

[sixrings]

After thinking about this a little bit more, I think that there are 3 projects included on here that, even if they were the only 3 that actually managed to get through (and based on the TTC's track record with planned vs built, I'd say 20% is optimistic), I'd still consider the plan a success:

1) Bloor-Danforth Subway Extension
2) Don Mills Subway
3) Eglinton LRT West extension

In my opinion, those are the only 3 "we need these or we're up Shit's Creek" projects (assuming the 3 current TC projects go ahead as planned). The other ones, while they may be nice to have, the consequences of not having them are not system failure like they are with the 1st 2, and to a certain extent the 3rd (not having a connection to the Airport is a 1st World fail).

The other ones are lines serving a particular area, or filling in a gap in the system.

Those are the 3 that should be focused on, and the ones that need to proceed pretty much no matter what.

Converting the ARL to a western DRL has to give some good bang for the buck as well... Really how much could making that line electric and adding in a few stations cost?. That looks like it should be a priority as well..

 

[nfitz]

The longest minority governments in Canadian history were Stephen Harper, followed by Stephen Harper - both about 2.5 years.

There have been minority governments were longer than that. What about the 3.5 year minority government of Premier Drury in 1919?

Given that this is the strongest minority government (one seat short of a majority) I'm aware of, there's no reason to think that it couldn't last a long time.