W. K. Lis

W. K. Lis

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Looking at this image of the proposed Finch West station:
IMG_jan-19-09-0016.jpg


I see missing is the design for the Etobicoke Finch West LRT connection. The design of the bus platform does not look like it will be used by light rail vehicles, because of the LRV size (3x the bus length). Could a center platform (as opposed to the old side platforms on the Bloor streetcar transfer) on the east side of Keele Street (north is to the right) be built to share transfers with the light rail vehicles? But will it be a paid zone or will proof of payment be required?

ser381%5Cs0381_fl0291_id11718-1.jpg
 
W. K. Lis said:
I see missing is the design for the Etobicoke Finch West LRT connection. The design of the bus platform does not look like it will be used by light rail vehicles, because of the LRV size (3x the bus length). Could a center platform (as opposed to the old side platforms on the Bloor streetcar transfer) on the east side of Keele Street (north is to the right) be built to share transfers with the light rail vehicles? But will it be a paid zone or will proof of payment be required?
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The layouts are old from before Transit City was fully funded. Simply comparing the Sheppard West and York U station plans to these show how out of date the Finch West schematic is. The plans that were being considered are a "transfer required" connection walking from the street to the entrance (either the normal street entrances or down stairs on the island platform) or an underground LRT stop which wouldn't require paper transfers.
 
The substation box over the bus terminal looks very out of place. I hope that just got added last minute and hasn't been figured out yet. I could also do without the sketchup renderings. Makes it look like a first year arch. school project.
 
jwill said:
The substation box over the bus terminal looks very out of place. I hope that just got added last minute and hasn't been figured out yet. I could also do without the sketchup renderings. Makes it look like a first year arch. school project.
Click to expand...

Agreed! The station design looks inferior to other stations on this line (was it designed by a different contractor?). And the massive bus terminal will take valuable land that could've been developed into something better... Reminds me Finch and Downsview stations.
 
True. why not put the bus terminal in the hydro corridor, like the other Finch station?

And isn't there supposed to be an LRT on finch? what happened to that?
 
jwill said:
Oh yeah, there it is. It just hasn't been designed at all...
Click to expand...
That would be part of the LRT design. Same way the Sheppard West station doesn't have the GO station design.

In retrospect, having a unified design for the entire project would make sense, given how close they will be in timing; but remember the contract for the subway station design was awarded in 2008, while the funding and schedule for the LRT wasn't finalized until 2009. Also with the subway being funded differently than the LRT line (which is 100% by the province, and will likely be design/build), it would complicate matters to do it as a single project.
 
Love the geometrical design of it. I wish all of the TTC stations could be interesting looking!
 
It is a shame they aren't taking the connection to the Finch LRT a little more seriously. A knockout wall and a diagram showing an underground walkway is the only effort they put in. You can tell they didn't put much thought into it because the knockout wall (which was likely originally to be used for a direct connection to neighbouring properties) is outside the "fare paid" zone. The time to build the LRT connection is when they have the whole area dug up to build the station.
 
cool update! thx ttc12!
 
khristopher said:
Love the geometrical design of it. I wish all of the TTC stations could be interesting looking!
Click to expand...

Your right it is nice station, by the time it's said and done you can add another 50 million when it's complete. Heck its' already escalated from 109 million to 134 million.

At the end of the day we don't care how fancy or modern a station is, we just want a structure that is functional. If you think about it, most people don't spend more then 5 minutes in those building in the first place before they get on a train. We could save a boat load of money and excess spending if we simplify that building and the other building along that line. It's crazy design like this that allow contractors to price walk jobs... This is the reason why it's so much more expensive to build a subway in Toronto than anywhere else. Function over form and the form will follow with smart design.
 
eddiek said:
Your right it is nice station, by the time it's said and done you can add another 50 million when it's complete. Heck its' already escalated from 109 million to 134 million.

At the end of the day we don't care how fancy or modern a station is, we just want a structure that is functional. If you think about it, most people don't spend more then 5 minutes in those building in the first place before they get on a train. We could save a boat load of money and excess spending if we simplify that building and the other building along that line. It's crazy design like this that allow contractors to price walk jobs... This is the reason why it's so much more expensive to build a subway in Toronto than anywhere else. Function over form and the form will follow with smart design.
Click to expand...

I care, and plenty of people care. Most people spend lots of time everyday on the subway system. You might get on a train after 5 minutes, but then for the next 10-30 minutes you're on the subway seeing other stations. The variety relieves the monotony of the experience. Besides, many people spend more than 5 minutes at a subway station. Some invariably wait for acquaintances on the platform, and people for longer periods of time for buses.

It doesn't make that big of a difference to build an attractive station in cost, unless the station is built with the image of an airport terminal in mind. It's size that adds more to costs than design. A lot of Sheppard line stations are huge (and were costly), but not that impressive, unless you compare them to the notoriously cheap and uninspiring Bloor Danforth line stations.

What uniquely designed stations add is civic pride and a higher level of appreciation for public transit and the city in general. Montreal's Metro really boosts the perception of the city, for instance, among locals and visitors. At the end of the day, the subway is a vital piece of infrastructure which hundreds of thousands use daily. It's a fantastic place to bring quality architecture and design into peoples' daily lives and neighbourhoods across the city.
 
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