For the record, the difference between express rail and regional rail in the RTP is some arbitrarily defined frequency of trains, in this case +/- 30 minutes. You don't need more tracks to upgrade from regional rail to express rail unless you want to implement services that skip some stations if trains fill up early in their runs. On many lines this won't happen and improved frequencies will be able to cope with demand.
 
Hopefully the public is loud in support of option #1. It is nice to see that a huge elevated structure through the neighbourhood isn't the only option they are showing.

Those existing and future pictures are a bit of a joke. Could they take the pictures from a location any further away to make these structures seem more insignificant?

Option 1:
Dupont before: An underpass in the distance. Afterwards: A rise in the road zoomed in.
Wallace before: A road with a level crossing. Afterwards: A ugly shed with a GO train passing by. (They are putting a shed on the road? No, it is actually a picture of option 2 on the option 1 page to confuse people.)

Option 2:
Dupont before: An underpass in the distance. Afterwards: An underpass even further in the distance.
Wallace before: A road with no signs of a railway crossing. Afterwards: A big rail overpass zoomed in.

Option 3:
Dupont before: An underpass in the distance. Afterwards: An underpass even further in the distance.
Wallace before: A road with no signs of a railway crossing. Afterwards: A level crossing in the distance.

Based on the pictures it looks like they are selling Option 3. Nice how they threw an ugly picture of option 2 on the option 1 page for Wallace.
 
Last edited:
You gotta love the way they stuck a building in front of the Wallace Ave. crossing so you can't see it on Page 19.
 
Taking Action

Has anyone heard or know of any groups that are being set up to fight the Davenport Diamond project? I have seen a couple for the junction but not for the Davenport Diamond. I have sent some emails to my MP, MPP, and city councillor but I don't know what else I can do. Please contact me if you hear anything. Thanks!
 
Nelly27 said:
Has anyone heard or know of any groups that are being set up to fight the Davenport Diamond project? I have seen a couple for the junction but not for the Davenport Diamond. I have sent some emails to my MP, MPP, and city councillor but I don't know what else I can do. Please contact me if you hear anything. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Well, why do you want to fight it? I ask because if you come across as someone "fighting it" then people will call you a NIMBY and you won't win any public support here. If you strive to improve the project you'll have a much easier time.
 
Last edited:
they should use the trench method for this project, like they did at the west toronto diamond, only with a better (quieter & less shaking) pile driving method.
 
Prometheus The Supremo said:
they should use the trench method for this project, like they did at the west toronto diamond, only with a better (quieter & less shaking) pile driving method.
Click to expand...

There is a company that does silent pile driving, but they didn't bid on the West Toronto contract. Will the citizens support sole-sourcing the contract to one of these companies? Maybe, maybe not, especially with the outcry over the subway contract.
 
Prometheus The Supremo said:
they should use the trench method for this project, like they did at the west toronto diamond, only with a better (quieter & less shaking) pile driving method.
Click to expand...

It better to raise it as it will bring 2 roads backup up to grade as well leaving one in place. It will free up unused land for better use.

The only issue is the tower line towers, but that can be over come.

It will cost less money to do as well get the construction done faster.

You built the support columns as precast and use precast bridge girders as two piece encasing the track bed in them.
 
^ But then you have a large elevated monstrosity in the neighbourhood and trains passing overhead echoing their noise over the whole area. I agree it would be cheaper.
 
Nelly27 said:
Has anyone heard or know of any groups that are being set up to fight the Davenport Diamond project? I have seen a couple for the junction but not for the Davenport Diamond. I have sent some emails to my MP, MPP, and city councillor but I don't know what else I can do. Please contact me if you hear anything. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Nelly,

I don't want to "fight" the project, but I want the outcome of this to be beneficial to our neighbourhood too. Make sure the best option is chosen, possibly with changes, or don't do it at all.

There's some discussion happening on the South Junction Triangle Residents Association website:
http://www.southjunctiontriangle.ca/DavenportDiamondOpenHouse1

I basically agree with what "galleriamall" has posted there.
 
vic said:
I want the outcome of this to be beneficial to our neighbourhood too. Make sure the best option is chosen, possibly with changes, or don't do it at all.
Click to expand...

I agree with selecting the best option for sure (i.e. the one that meets the objectives of removing the railway diamong bottleneck and minimizes the impact to the neighbourhood and the environment). I'm not sure how anything would be beneficial to the neighbourhood though. Is the current railway line beneficial to the neighbourhood? Not doing it at all isn't a good option in the grand scheme of improving public transportation in the GTA.
 
EnviroTO said:
I agree with selecting the best option for sure (i.e. the one that meets the objectives of removing the railway diamong bottleneck and minimizes the impact to the neighbourhood and the environment). I'm not sure how anything would be beneficial to the neighbourhood though. Is the current railway line beneficial to the neighbourhood? Not doing it at all isn't a good option in the grand scheme of improving public transportation in the GTA.
Click to expand...

I can see a few positive things for our 'hood that might come out of this, depending on which option is chosen and how it's implemented:

  • More pedestrian crossings, e.g. Paton, and Antler/Lappin (Only Wallace Ave. is open now, between Dupont and Bloor)
  • Flattening Dupont and Davenport, so the roads don't dip down into underpasses
  • Removal of the diamond itself would reduce the noise of trains hammering over it.
  • Trains would not have to re-accelerate after stopping for cross-traffic (less noise/pollution)
  • If it's in a trench, it might dampen the noise?
  • A station connecting to Bloor-Lansdowne (a bit out of scope for this project, but I hope they keep the idea in mind)

Right now, the rail corridor isn't very beneficial to the neighbourhood (except that it can be a nice place to walk, illegally, and I kind of enjoy watching the trains go by). It used to service some industries, but not anymore. It may not provide any real benefit to us again...unless there's a station added. No matter what though, I hope that the results of this grade separation a) minimize further negative impacts, and b) give us a few positives.
 
OK... those expectations are fairly reasonable. I was thinking that by beneficial you meant stations at Dupont and St.Clair or completely silent trains.
 
You must log in or register to post here.

Back
Top