It is random as it is not a destination. it seems you want to save money which I understand. But the suburbs should be getting decent transit too. BRT just creates a transfer. It isnt about having a pretty map its about eliminating as many linear transfers as possible. This is why the Sheppard LRT doesnt get traction and this is why many people want the RT to be subway the whole way
The BRT doesn't create a transfer, it just moves the transfer point.
The vast majority of people using the Eglinton West corridor will be transferring from bus routes operating north/south in Etobickoe. For these people, with the BRT, their transfers are:
1. Bus from home to Mt. Dennis Station via traditional streets and BRT.
2. Mt. Dennis to Eglinton West via LRT
3. Eglinton West to downtown via subway.
With the LRT extension, their transfers would be:
1. Bus from home to LRT stop
2. LRT stop to Eglinton West
3. Eglinton West to downtown via subway.
So for these people, whether or not an LRT or BRT is built, they have the same number of transfers. Heck, the BRT might even have a better user experience, since the transfer point will be in a station, rather than a cold, dark, windy transit shelter on some random spot on Eglinton. Transferring on Eglinton West at night is actually my least favourite place to wait for transit since it's so secluded.
And for people who live on Eglinton, the BRT will get them to their destinations even faster than the LRT. The reason is:
1. BRT is travel speed is as fast as LRT, as long as they're built to the same specifications
2. Frequencies on BRT will be higher. The ECLRT would likely have every second westbound train terminate at Mt. Dennis, due to low usage west of that point. That means that the Eglinton West corridor would see peak hour headways of 6 min, and approaching 10 mins at night! Because the BRT has lower capacity vehicles, necessitating higher headways, and has multiple routes running along Eglinton West, the BRT would see headways likely approaching or exceeding twice as frequent as an LRT. That's shaving 3 to 5 minutes off commutes.
Thus, the only benefit I see LRT offering riders in the area (assuming BRT range ridership), is the more comfortable ride of rail.
Anyways what is the purpose of using LRT technology if we cant extend it in sections. The whole purpose is to use technology that is relatively cheap to build and fast which is what a city in gridlock should be about.
The BRT doesn't preclude future extensions of the ECLRT. Decades from now, if the area warrants an LRT extension, it will be a simple upgrade as all the right of ways are in place. Lay the track, run the electrical and that's it. Simple and cheap(er).
In the mean time, the Billion dollar saved can go to beinging the DRL to Eglinton or beyond, something that is a much higher priority and will conservatively impact 10x the commuters an Eglinton LRT extension would.