[wyliepoon]

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TTC needs more than dreaming



Sep 07, 2007 04:30 AM
Royson James

There must have been a mass choking on the morning muffin yesterday when Star readers learned that the venerable TTC wants to run a train service to Pearson International Airport.

Oh, sorry, not a, gulp, train. Try a streetcar.

Set aside the mode of transport for a bit. This is the same TTC that is now busy surveying commuters on whether they would prefer fare hikes, higher property taxes or cuts to transit services or some other damnable option to keep the existing system from running aground.

For anyone paying attention, the Toronto Transit Commission doesn't have money to run the buses. The staff is short of cash to implement increased service demands, including new routes that were to start this fall.

Transit commissioners have been dropping hints they may have to shut down the near-billion-dollar Sheppard subway line barely three years after they opened it.

And instead of weeping at the city gates in sackcloth and ashes, chair Adam Giambrone is contemplating a run at airport transit service.

Urine sample, please.

This is becoming a chronic condition for Giambrone, who floated some trial balloon this summer about operating a ferry service for water-happy customers east and west of downtown.

Giambrone wasn't the only one to boggle the mind. On the same page as the Streetcar to Pearson floater, someone (after almost 40 years it doesn't matter who) wants to revive the Pickering airport plans, long buried.

And the Pearson airport limo war is about to heat up again as a city staff report urges council do an about-face on its ban on airport limos picking up fares in Toronto, months after the ban was voted on and just before it takes effect on Sept. 30. Really builds confidence in our public officials, doesn't it?

The idea of a fixed link to Pearson – a quick train with few stops between Union Station and the airport – has been on many a dream list of essential infrastructure for the Toronto region. Despite this, common sense would suggest that the vast majority of GTA residents wouldn't benefit from a link to downtown.

A few years back, one study found just 16 per cent of Pearson travellers had trips originating or terminating downtown. The finding was a cold shower for those pushing the quick rail link to Pearson, but that didn't stop its proponents.

In fact, a private-sector firm has clung to the proposal, even securing the tepid blessing of several skeptics. Called "Blue 22," the proposal appears stalled as Weston residents oppose it vigorously because it passes through and cuts off, they say, their quaint community in mid-western Toronto.

Does this sound like the type of issue that should demand the TTC's precious time?

Who is going to hop on a streetcar to Pearson, with many stops, even if the traveller is only carrying one suitcase or a barrel of food for relatives, or a laptop or clutch purse?

Here are five things that could better occupy Giambrone's time:

1: Get that St. Clair streetcar line to look like it was meant to beautify and connect the street, not assault it, as it appears to now.

2: Unclog the Queen and King streetcars. Walking should not be faster than taking those cars.

3: Extend (not truncate) the Sheppard subway to Scarborough, where you can really connect three town centres (Toronto, North York, Scarborough).

4: Seek out benefactors who might contribute to a transit fund to increase and maintain service.

5: Explore the pay-by-the-distance option.

 

[Hypnotoad]

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1: Get that St. Clair streetcar line to look like it was meant to beautify and connect the street, not assault it, as it appears to now.

2: Unclog the Queen and King streetcars. Walking should not be faster than taking those cars.

3: Extend (not truncate) the Sheppard subway to Scarborough, where you can really connect three town centres (Toronto, North York, Scarborough).

4: Seek out benefactors who might contribute to a transit fund to increase and maintain service.

5: Explore the pay-by-the-distance option.

Recommendations 1-3 are pretty much a list to fix what broken with the system. St. Clair's streetcar line is imperfect and leaves a far nastier impression then promised. Queen and King need to be dealt with. This isn't so much a novel ideal as it is common sense. And finally, extending the Sheppard Line is key. As it stands now it goes no where but the concept of connecting trip-generating destination with each other will help enable solid, two-way usage. (I'm also of the school of thought that the line should be extended west to connect to York University, making a turn at Downsview to essentially complete a loop and make York a true transit hub - and the origin of the Sheppard line.

Recommendations 4 and 5 require new business models and innovative leadership. Basically the mean the TTC needs real managers. Proactive and not just reactive.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

The Sheppard line must run over to Downsview for both it and the Spadina line to reach their potential...meaning it will not be done.

 

[Hypnotoad]

The Sheppard line must run over to Downsview for both it and the Spadina line to reach their potential...meaning it will not be done.

I definately agree. But I don't see why they should stop just at Downview. I think the line should curve north and use the same track as the extention and then run to York where it can actually drop-off and pick-up a significant mass of people to be transported along the Sheppard Line to Yonge, North York, and Scarborough.

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

I definately agree. But I don't see why they should stop just at Downview. I think the line should curve north and use the same track as the extention and then run to York where it can actually drop-off and pick-up a significant mass of people to be transported along the Sheppard Line to Yonge, North York, and Scarborough.

can't they just transfer from one line to the other?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If memory serves me correctly, I've suggested running Sheppard up to York and from there to Jane & Finch, Rexdale, Humber, Woodbine, and the airport. In the real world, however, perhaps there's an easy way to interline Sheppard and Spadina so that 1/2 or 1/3 of the Spadina extension trains switch over to Sheppard.

 

[Dan416]

Interlining? By the TTC? I don't think they'll be doing that again. I don't think people mind transferring between subway lines, since it's indoors, and not a long wait. I agree Sheppard should be expanded both east and west. For now, west to Downsview and east to STC is sufficient.

 

[CDL.TO]

There is a MASSIVE difference between simply running two branches on a line and the TTC subway interlining experiment of the 60s. The interlining system involved trains switching between three lines with scheduling perfectly coordinated between the three at the junction point. For example, a train at Bay heading to Keele and a train at Museum heading to Woodbine could not depart until there was a train at St. George waiting to depart for Eglinton. It was an extremely complicated system that some would argue was designed to fail.

In the case of a York extension, unless a YUS line train turned in to a Sheppard line train at York (and vice-versa) it couldn't be called interlining but simply a subway service with branches.

 

[Hydrogen]

James states that:

A few years back, one study found just 16 per cent of Pearson travellers had trips originating or terminating downtown.

Wouldn't that represent (right now) something over four million travellers a year? Does this number include anyone who works at or around Pearson?

There is both a need and a use for some form or regular transit out to the airport.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I was thinking mostly just about trains going south from York: some would go down to Union, some would go over along Sheppard, which I guess would make it a branch. If trains changed from Spadina to Sheppard at Downsview, though, that would be trickier and kind of unnecessary...I don't see how the existing Downsview station could be used for all those turning points and contiguous track lengths, anyway.

There's nothing really wrong with the transfer there since we'll get the most mileage out of one line running straight north and south. We don't need to extend every subway line to the point of ridiculous overcrowdedness...perhaps a Sheppard line from Downsview to STC will top out at 150,000-200,000 riders per day, and that's fine with me.

 

[cassius]

A few years back, one study found just 16 per cent of Pearson travellers had trips originating or terminating downtown.

The last time I flew out of Pearson I was living in Pickering and took the GO Train to Union, then TTC to the airport. I doubt it's terribly common to do that but it wouldn't have been included in that 16 percent. I wonder how they came up with that figure anyways.

 

[JasonParis]

I definately agree. But I don't see why they should stop just at Downview. I think the line should curve north and use the same track as the extention and then run to York where it can actually drop-off and pick-up a significant mass of people to be transported along the Sheppard Line to Yonge, North York, and Scarborough.

Giambrone told me that only 1 of every 4 YUS trains will go to VCC and likely only 1 of every 3 YUS trains will go to York (the rest terminating at St. Clair W or Downsview). Therefore, I think there's a real opportunity here to better use the Downsview to VCC infrastructure (and very expensive infrastructure to boot!) and have two lines run through it. I'm sure most people would figure it out pretty quick.

The last time I flew out of Pearson I was living in Pickering and took the GO Train to Union, then TTC to the airport. I doubt it's terribly common to do that but it wouldn't have been included in that 16 percent. I wonder how they came up with that figure anyways.

I've always felt that number was probably a little low.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

they probably did a random survey of travelers at Pearson to see where they came from and how...

i am not surprised by the 16% with Pearson being as significant of a travel hub as it is. People drive from all over Southern Ontario to get to the airport since the only real alternatives are Hamilton and London or the States, and the fact that Pearson has so many direct flights, makes it logical that ~85% of travelers aren't from Toronto proper and drive there to make their flight.

 

[cacruden]

16% makes sense, but just because you only have 16% does not rule out the need for the train from Union Station.
- close the island airport
- run a fast efficient train from Union (with stops and subway intersections -- i.e. Dundas West area) - to the Airport
- setup check-in at Union Station (including luggage checkin) with waiting lounge for boarding the train to the airport, and if it can be done -- give the station a code so that luggage can be automatically routed to the train station on arrival (except for international - where you have customs - so just after customs allow the luggage to be placed back enroute to the train-station).
- Basically make as efficient as possible so there is no reason why you need a island airport.