Subject to design drawings we don't yet have, the probability is that putting all the tracks on the west side, would eliminate all the parks along Degrassi from Queen to Dundas.
Part of the answer lies in station placement; and part lies in deciding how to get the new tracks in there.
The suggestion was made that shifting the O/L tracks to the west will require physically moving all of the existing GO tracks to the east, which is disruptive and costly.
But if the intent is also that there be no extra bridge space on the east and no embankment expansion on the east, then it will, needless to say, all be on the west side, as would any station.
Absent detailed design drawings a high level of speculation is involved as to impacts.
But I remain of the view we're better off tunnelling this section of any relief line.
There are compelling operational and capacity reasons to do so other than any 'nimby' arguments.
I also have great sympathy for some of those 'nimby' arguments, even though I don't live in the effected area.
Its a lot of destruction of park space in an area without that much of it relative to growth demands.
(emphasis added)
I could be completely wrong, but is it possible they may replace two GO* tracks on the west/north for OL, and add two GO tracks to the east/south? Just don't know if there has to be a certain clearances between the OL and GO tracks. Just wanted to visualize some options. Not a civil engineer and haven't measured this, and not aware of the requirements. So it's just for general discussion purposes. The below images also don't take into consideration the clearance requirements for the OCS poles for OL or GO, and any noise walls proposed. Speaking of noise walls, Metrolinx blog post on it
today.
* and VIA, but for simplicity of the images below I'm just saying GO.
Given what appears to be the property lines from
Toronto Maps v2, I wonder if this shows why Metrolinx is saying that they can generally accommodate the 2 OL tracks and the 4 GO tracks within their ROW. I believe they've been saying that but stand to be corrected. Using v2 is helpful because it shows property lines. I realize the images below don't perfectly align with the track location ideas but the property lines disappear on v2 if you Zoom out beyond this view.
OL - blue lines (surface OL in the Metrolinx maps is pink, but that's the same colour as the property lines)
GO - green lines
Relevant Metrolinx map here:
https://www.metrolinxengage.com/en/content/ontario-line-neighbourhood-updates-east
I haven't had time to do the West Don Lands Portal (west of Cherry) to the first image below, but maybe I'll post it later as part 2 of this.
As for the disruption/cost of shifting existing GO tracks, I know it was done for the Georgetown South Project and I believe some work on LSW, and around the Bayview Junction. Any thoughts on how those projects compare to the potential shifts to to the GO tracks in this stretch
@crs1026 @smallspy ?
From south to north
South of Queen St E, north of Eastern - option 1:
Option 2 (in case more room is needed between OL and GO. I haven't carried this option all the way through):
South of Queen St E with the OL Leslieville Station Platform:
I realize the
Metrolinx map has this station straddling Queen St E. But I wonder if they'll shift it further south so that they don't need to touch the DeGrassi Street ROW.
North of Queen St E:
Further north of Queen St E. There could be some generous space available here because of the former Riverdale platform. Mentioned in
this UT article in September 2020 and
this Metrolinx blog post.
Again, further north of Queen St E:
North of Dundas St E:
At Logan:
Carlaw:
Update: I realize I put Gerrard Station further south than the
Metrolinx map so here's another version.
North of Gerrard:
OL heading north into the tunnel:
