[Platform 27]

That would be a fair assumption. It would be a pretty big stretch for Metrolinx to simultaneously award the construction contract for all 4 lines to a single bidder.

Quite possibly ... though that contract is only for 6.2 km of tunnel. Perhaps the contract contains an option for the rest of the project.

Separate contracts. They explained to me at a recent open house that they will be using two regular-style construction contracts to do the tunnels (one for west of Yonge and one for east of Yonge) because all the detailed engineering work had already been done and they didn't need to mix it in with the P3. Everything else for Eglinton (stations, tracks, signals, yards, surface section) will get lumped into a big design-build P3 bundle that's in the middle of tendering right now.

 

[nfitz]

Separate contracts.

I meant the contract with the union contained an option if the same contractor got other contracts with Metrolinx. Sorry, I'll clarify my post.

They explained to me at a recent open house that they will be using two regular-style construction contracts to do the tunnels (one for west of Yonge and one for east of Yonge) because all the detailed engineering work had already been done and they didn't need to mix it in with the P3.

Ah, that's good news. That means the second tunnelling contract will have a fighting chance of being all signed with construction underway sometime next year, which will make it difficult for Hudak to fulfill his promise of cancelling/deferring much of this line. I assume then there'd also be an earlier contract awarded for the Don Mills Road launch site, similar to the earlier contract for the Black Creek launch site.

 

[gweed123]

Ah, that's good news. That means the second tunnelling contract will have a fighting chance of being all signed with construction underway sometime next year, which will make it difficult for Hudak to fulfill his promise of cancelling/deferring much of this line. I assume then there'd also be an earlier contract awarded for the Don Mills Road launch site, similar to the earlier contract for the Black Creek launch site.

That is indeed good news. The surface portion, well everybody already knows my position on that. But the tunnel portion absolutely needs to go ahead, and get as far into construction as possible before the next election. History cannot repeat itself.

 

[innsertnamehere]

not if we get sent into an election this summer, which seems quite possible since Horvath doesn't seem to be backing down on the car insurance thing. (personally I think they should go with Gweed's Idea of public car insurance funding public infrastructure) Gweed, now would be a good time to send that Idea to your MP! (who is hopefully a liberal)

 

[nfitz]

not if we get sent into an election this summer, which seems quite possible since Horvath doesn't seem to be backing down on the car insurance thing.

Seems very unlikely to me. Horvath played the same game with McGuinty, and even he managed to sort out a deal with Horvarth and make concessions. Wynne has shown a lot more sign of working with Horvath than McGuinty ever did. It's just granstanding (and it may well work). They'll come to a deal this year at least. Election might be more likely in 2014, but hopefully we'll be past the point of no return by then. Personally my money is on Spring 2015 or Spring 2016. Wynne's been talking about Fall 2014.

 

[BurlOak]

Ah, that's good news. That means the second tunnelling contract will have a fighting chance of being all signed with construction underway sometime next year, which will make it difficult for Hudak to fulfill his promise of cancelling/deferring much of this line. I assume then there'd also be an earlier contract awarded for the Don Mills Road launch site, similar to the earlier contract for the Black Creek launch site.

Are also you worried if the NDP or Liberals get into power they will cancel the plans for the DRL. After all, Mr. Layton was a key player in preventing the DRL from being built in the 1980's, and the Liberals are the ones who put a much higher priority on building subways to York Region than building a DRL.

 

[nfitz]

Are also you worried if the NDP or Liberals get into power they will cancel the plans for the DRL.

I'm not worried about the Liberals cancelling plans for the DRL. We can certainly kiss it goodbye with the Conservatives ... and the NDP? What did they do last time they were in power ... cut GO service, and then dither.

Perhaps the NDP would build it ... but they certainly haven't promised it. The Liberals have. And Wynne has made it VERY clear that she's very pro-transit.

We've got a good chance at finally trying to catch up some of the huge infrastructure gap, with the DRL, Yonge extension, and the rest of Metrolinx projects. The key however is the funding formula. If they can hold off the election until 2015 or 2016 until it is properly in place, perhaps we won't be subject to such short-term changes in plans everytime we change governments.

 

[innsertnamehere]

Are also you worried if the NDP or Liberals get into power they will cancel the plans for the DRL. After all, Mr. Layton was a key player in preventing the DRL from being built in the 1980's, and the Liberals are the ones who put a much higher priority on building subways to York Region than building a DRL.

How the hell will the liberals drop support for the DRL if they literally just moved it up on their priority list?

 

[dowlingm]

How the hell will the liberals drop support for the DRL if they literally just moved it up on their priority list?

"Priorities" don't mean much at the Ministry of Finance.

 

[gweed123]

not if we get sent into an election this summer, which seems quite possible since Horvath doesn't seem to be backing down on the car insurance thing. (personally I think they should go with Gweed's Idea of public car insurance funding public infrastructure) Gweed, now would be a good time to send that Idea to your MP! (who is hopefully a liberal)

My MP is John Baird, so I don't see much happening there . But my MPP is Bob Chiarelli, so there may actually be some hope there. I'll write something up and see how it looks.

As for elections, I can see the Liberals and the NDP working together for at least a year or two. When you look at the polls now, they're pretty much a 3-way tie, with no party having a large enough advantage to really want to jump into an election (the PCs do, just because they don't like their position now). But as long as neither the Liberals nor the NDP have any real chance of security a majority, or even a solid minority, neither of them see much point in calling an election now.

When it comes to funding and priorities, I do think that holding on for another year will make a world of difference. It's a lot harder to undo something than it is to not get something started. The DRL won't be at that point yet, but the Crosstown and the Metrolinx revenue tools will hopefully be underway/implemented by then.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

They should have done cut and cover! This is ridiculous. Cut and Cover would have save 5 years and maybe this is up and running in 2018! Same with the DRL. Hell cut and cover would all us to do all the Transit projects faster.

 

[nfitz]

They should have done cut and cover! This is ridiculous. Cut and Cover would have save 5 years and maybe this is up and running in 2018! Same with the DRL. Hell cut and cover would all us to do all the Transit projects faster.

This makes no sense whatsoever. All the tunnelling will be finished in 2016, taking only 3 years. How would you save 5 years doing cut and cover?

Wouldn't cut and cover take longer? And be more expensive on Eglinton given all the services? And can you imagine the disruption?

Am I missing something? Is this some kind of humour I'm not getting?

 

[JayBeeGooner]

They should have done cut and cover! This is ridiculous. Cut and Cover would have save 5 years and maybe this is up and running in 2018! Same with the DRL. Hell cut and cover would all us to do all the Transit projects faster.

Take a walk along Eglinton, and you'll understand why cut and cover would be significantly more expensive, and will take longer than tunneling.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the longer construction time is because the government wants to spread the cost of the project over 8 years?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Take a walk along Eglinton, and you'll understand why cut and cover would be significantly more expensive, and will take longer than tunneling.
Correct me if I am wrong, but the longer construction time is because the government wants to spread the cost of the project over 8 years?

While underground work maybe done 24-hours, any surface work or work that causes vibrations has to be suspended overnight or early morning. Don't know the exact hours, but I would want no noise while I'm sleeping in the area. Those non-work hours (and holidays and Sundays?) will eat into the schedule. Wonder when they dig through the areas east of Allen Road, would they also suspend the noise during the Sabbath and their holidays?

 

[nfitz]

Correct me if I am wrong, but the longer construction time is because the government wants to spread the cost of the project over 8 years?

That's a factor, particularly in the early years. Also the timeframe required to get this PPP thing going, and the desire not to be building stations at every major intersection along Eglinton simultaneously. Though at the rate they are going, 2015 to 2018 is going to be a nightmare for driving in that area.

Still, 7 years from the launch of the first TBM to opening isn't massively long. The much shorter Spadina extension had the first TBM launch in June 2011, and the opening is scheduled for 5.5 years later.