Ontario line was Downtown Relief Line only because it was planned to "relieve" Yonge Line. If Yonge Line had much higher capacity, we would not have been talking about a relief line. So, there you go.
There has been a relief line proposed for well over 50 years now… If you are using the OL today as an example of a ‘timely’ response you must be ecstatic at the ‘speed’ of the RapidTO rollout.
 
There has been a relief line proposed for well over 50 years now… If you are using the OL today as an example of a ‘timely’ response you must be ecstatic at the ‘speed’ of the RapidTO rollout.
It is very obvious that Yonge line didn't need to be relieved all of last 50 years. Even now, after new signaling is done, Yonge line will still have some spare room left, howsoever small it may be. Relief line is mostly supposed to manage future crowd levels.
 
It is very obvious that Yonge line didn't need to be relieved all of last 50 years. Even now, after new signaling is done, Yonge line will still have some spare room left, howsoever small it may be. Relief line is mostly supposed to manage future crowd levels.

They weren't planning for the immediate future 50 years ago. It was something to implement ahead of time. The Yonge Line has essentially been at capacity for quite a while. Overcrowding (before COVID) was a serious issue.

We should've had a relief line up and running decades ago. Planners knew this long before that.
 
It is very obvious that Yonge line didn't need to be relieved all of last 50 years. Even now, after new signaling is done, Yonge line will still have some spare room left, howsoever small it may be. Relief line is mostly supposed to manage future crowd levels.
While they may not have been specifically looking at relieving pressure on the Yonge Line - that only dates back to the 1980s - the have been plans for an additional line into downtown from the east since the early 1970s.

Dan
 
Ontario line was Downtown Relief Line only because it was planned to "relieve" Yonge Line. If Yonge Line had much higher capacity, we would not have been talking about a relief line. So, there you go.

Yonge subway is the busiest, highest capacity subway line in North America. For Yonge line to have higher capacity, it would need four tracks rather than two.

It is very obvious that Yonge line didn't need to be relieved all of last 50 years. Even now, after new signaling is done, Yonge line will still have some spare room left, howsoever small it may be. Relief line is mostly supposed to manage future crowd levels.

Things can't operate at 100% capacity for sustained periods. You need unused capacity -- clear space on trains -- in order for people to embark and disembark. You will never hit sustained 100% capacity utilization. Some spare room is the same as effectively full.

Yonge line was at capacity in the early 1990s (30+ years ago), at which point Premier Harris cut provincial transit funding and fares rose as quickly as ridership dropped. Transit ridership recovered in the 2000s, partly thanks to the ridership growth strategy under Mayor Miller. Since then we've increased capacity somewhat by adding a seventh car to the trains and improving the signals on the line.
 

Has this video been posted before? Shows the planned works at the East portal.
nope thats new. some cool stuff in there, The video is definitely designed for construction teams though.
if anyone has a merx account they could probably get the documents for the mentioned bids.
 
nope thats new. some cool stuff in there, The video is definitely designed for construction teams though.
if anyone has a merx account they could probably get the documents for the mentioned bids.
That they don't show any pedestrian crossing over the Don by the tracks is troubling for those living on the west side of the Don, who want to use East Harbour GO. Mind you they very carefully didn't show the station either - and seem to ignore that part of the Gardiner has already been knocked down, and that the ramp to the DVP will have moved by the time the Ontario Line opens.
 
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You might want to check some subway lines in Asia where they manage much higher capacity (double of Yonge's) with just two tracks.
But this is Toronto! We can't possibly learn from other cities, we are too special and unique and need a Made-In-Toronto solution (which requires at least 18 studies by city staff) for everything!
 
That they don't show any pedestrian crossing over the Don by the tracks is troubling for those living on the west side of the Don, who want to use East Harbour GO. Mind you they very carefully didn't show the station either - and seem to ignore that part of the Gardiner has already been knocked down, and that the ramp to the DVP will have moved by the time the Ontario Line opens.
actually last i heard the ped crossing was actually removed from the bridge early works project. its going to be like the crosstown where upgrades to public spaces are delayed for years after completion
 

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