Vanishing?
It has vanished already, as
@44 North said last page...
The *theory* remains alive, unfortunately, as does the pretense for the remaining stations that the City is obliged to finance. It's not dead yet politically. There's still a handful of stations that QP has stated they won't finance, but City Hall insists will be built.
City, Metrolinx Reveal Early Plans for 6 SmartTrack Stations
October 11, 2017 1:37 pm | by Robert Mackenzie |
16 Comments
Remember SmartTrack, the key transit plank in candidate John Tory's platform during his campaign to become mayor? Tory proposed a rapid transit line with frequent service two ways, all day, every day, along GO Transit rail corridors from Markham, through Union Station to north-west Toronto—and then further west to Toronto Pearson International Airport. Well, SmartTrack is still alive and kicking and, yesterday, Mayor Tory hiked along the GO train tracks to kick off the next phase of the project.
[...]
http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/10/city-metrolinx-reveal-early-plans-6-smarttrack-stations
It has vanished already, as
@44 North said last page
Here's what 44 North stated:
...So with the new co-fare arrangement, can it be argued that half of SmartTrack is basically accomplished?
He didn't allude to "vanished" at all. He stated "half of SmartTrack is basically accomplished", albeit as a rhetorical question.
That makes an important point, as I have reason to suspect ML, rather than arguing with Tory, has a new approach to assimilate the concept, and axe a number of the proposed "SmartTrack" stations, and the branding with them.
But there's a bellwether there too...for the Relief Line, but some still cling to that as still being a fait accompli for the City. There's going to be more than a few surprises in the next while, not least that the City can't afford the many dreams it loves to espouse, and he who pays the piper, names the tune. And that's QP.
From the UT's article:
[...]
Trains would operate on GO Transit tracks instead of the tracks that the
TTC uses for its Line 3 Scarborough rapid transit line. In fact, the TTC would demolish its Line 3 transit infrastructure once it started operating its subway extension. Perttula explained that the city, TTC and Metrolinx would have to carefully co-ordinate construction and demolition projects so that parts of the new stations could, possibly, be built, even though the Line 3 trains were still running.
Logan told the crowd that staff revised the initial concepts that Metrolinx had prepared for the Finch station. They eliminated a bus terminal and a large parking lot that Metrolinx originally intended for the site. Instead, bus passengers would connect with trains from stops on both sides of Finch beneath an underpass that would carry the tracks over the street. Elevators or escalators would lift passengers from the street to the platforms.
The new concept for the station at Lawrence was practically the reverse of the Finch design. Buses would stop on top of the current overpass and then descend to track level by elevator or escalator. [...]
http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2017/10/city-metrolinx-reveal-early-plans-6-smarttrack-stations
The Star's article yesterday throws the kibosh on Lawrence East, but also alludes to problems elsewhere. There's more to come on this story. SmartTrack and debacles are still very much alive...
As a footnote, I suspect Del Duca has had his wings clipped by Wynne's office. He will remain as (effectively) 'Minister of Announcements', and retain his Transport title, but Metrolinx executive have been given a freer hand to move things forward in a rational and expeditious way to allow 'things to look good' come election time. And if Tory gets in the way, he's on his own. With no money. He'll have to get a job to support his hobby.