[BMO]

I found these renderings of the Sheppard LRT a while ago, but I would imagine that Eglinton should be similar.
...

The VIVA BRT stations make these look horrible. Mind you, in Toronto they want to make the LRTs look as if they don't take up very much space, and in York Region they want to BRT to be very noticeable as a marketing technique to attract riders.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Has Metrolinx released renders of what the at-grade stops are going to look like? I've seen plenty on the underground stations, but only layouts of stops such as Ionview, for example (no renders). I think the stop will have some elements similar to a streetcar stop, but it is more going to be a question of a larger scale – it "feeling" like a station, not just a structure in the middle of the road. I have a feeling they are going to be more like the stops on Highway 7 than the ones on Spadina.

If they had upgraded The Queensway section of the 501 Queen, that might showcase what direction they are going to. Unfortunately, they kept an unneeded South Kingsway stop, there is no true transit priority, and the eastern portion still has to be rebuilt.

 

[M II A II R II K]

And the rendering implies that Sheppard East will be walkable with buildings up to the sidewalk.

 

[edmundoconnor]

I'm also thinking that in York Region, they at least have an eye for potentially turning the dedicated ROWs into LRT, if the ridership could reasonably be thought to need such a capacity (they already have the stations and the ROWs, placing rails in the ROW would be comparatively quick). It would offer a reason why they are officially called "VIVA stations" instead of stops, and why the stations being used for BRT indulge in a little bit of architectural overkill, whereas for LRT, they just about fit the bill. Get the public thinking of a higher order of transit now, and changing it over to LRT down the line (15-20 years from now) isn't seen as such overkill. The planned stations on the Hurontario LRT aren't a million miles away from a VIVA station in terms of capacity and overall look.

This contrasts with Toronto. In Toronto, judging by the renders above, there is/was a certain timidity in showing that the LRT won't change anything at all, as if it's existing on sufferance, with the very real possibility of being yanked altogether. Which is true to a large extent, but there comes a time when you have to damn the torpedoes to a certain extent. A mode of mass transit shouldn't have to apologize for its existence, especially when its planners want it to be a success.

By the way, which stop is that meant to represent on Sheppard? I'm curious.

 

[salsa]

The VIVA BRT stations make these look horrible. Mind you, in Toronto they want to make the LRTs look as if they don't take up very much space, and in York Region they want to BRT to be very noticeable as a marketing technique to attract riders.

I agree, however I think the VIVA project was overkill. The sidewalks alone are nicer than any downtown or village main street that I've seen. I'm all for city building, but I'm not sure that the cost is justifiable for a suburban road.

Images by MafaldaBoy

 

[ehlow]

Wow that would be a really nice street if there were storefronts & buildings beside it instead of an empty field.

 

[gweed123]

Wow that would be a really nice street if there were storefronts & buildings beside it instead of an empty field.

I'd rather have an empty field than a strip mall. At least if it's an empty field, it's a blank canvas.

 

[edmundoconnor]

Wow that would be a really nice street if there were storefronts & buildings beside it instead of an empty field.

Give it time. Just like KW LRT, they aren't necessarily building for today's needs, but future ones. Of course, that sometimes results in architectural white elephants (like the space on the south side of Kipling station's bus concourse where space for a possible future rapid transit stop was made, but never used), but it's much more cost-effective overall to overbuild now, rather than have to rebuild and retrofit later at great expense.

 

[BMO]

If they had upgraded The Queensway section of the 501 Queen, that might showcase what direction they are going to. Unfortunately, they kept an unneeded South Kingsway stop, there is no true transit priority, and the eastern portion still has to be rebuilt.

Not to mention the awkward short turn loop that drops passengers off at what looks like an abandoned industrial field.

 

[edmundoconnor]

I think by overbuilding, York Region is trying to skip over the strip mall part, and go straight from fields to office buildings and condos.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Wow that would be a really nice street if there were storefronts & buildings beside it instead of an empty field.

Patience my friend. I'm sure someone will be eager to develop upon it now.

 

[ehlow]

I didn't mean for my previous comment to sound like a criticism. It was just an observation

I'm sure it will look good once buildings are built.

 

[salsa]

It took a long time just to develop North York Centre, which is relatively short compared to the length of Highway 7. I'm not sure if there will be enough demand to completely develop Hwy 7, along with the dozens of other streets that are getting rapid transit.

 

[gweed123]

It took a long time just to develop North York Centre, which is relatively short compared to the length of Highway 7. I'm not sure if there will be enough demand to completely develop Hwy 7, along with the dozens of other streets that are getting rapid transit.

At least the BRT gives all this density that is being proposed a corridor to congeal around, instead of being spattered all over the place.

 

[Palma]

There's also The Hill planned at Bathurst and Eglinton, and a ton of development happening at Yonge and Eglinton that's at least partially driven by the crosstown.

Ya but those people will be using the Bathurst stop not oakwood. But just like the streetcars stop at too many stops it seems to be the same with the LRT stops especially east of Yonge but also the stop at Oakwood halfway between the Allen and Dufferin stop so was not needed. Of course residents are going to want the stop.