[rbt]

All right, where is the land available on York U. to allow an elevated structure?

Lots of space near Keele, not exactly ideal.

Frankly, if it saved $1B in cost, a few buildings in the York U campus could be demolished and rebuilt elsewhere for a portion of that amount.

I am pleased that neither of those options was taken.

 

[Justin10000]

Exactly. An elevated structure on York U lands is not possible, without demolishing buildings that have just been built recently. I am curious as to how they plan to build York U. station ? I assume the buses will be moved from the area?

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

All right, where is the land available on York U. to allow an elevated structure?

Lots of land on the perimiter of the school where all those parking lots are.

I agree it would be difficult to build an elevated line through York and I never said that it was the wrong decision not to run the line above ground. However if it weren't for York U than it would have been much more attractive to run the line above ground.

 

[The Mad Navigator]

Lots of land on the perimiter of the school where all those parking lots are.

I agree it would be difficult to build an elevated line through York and I never said that it was the wrong decision not to run the line above ground. However if it weren't for York U than it would have been much more attractive to run the line above ground.

Yeah, that idea might be great and all, but the transition space alone to go from underground to a surface and elevated grade would not be enough. Plus, north of Steeles, all that land is privately owned. Do you really think UPS would want an elevated subway going right through their property? Because you would need their lands to propose something like elevated subway. lol

 

[Justin10000]

Lots of land on the perimiter of the school where all those parking lots are.

I agree it would be difficult to build an elevated line through York and I never said that it was the wrong decision not to run the line above ground. However if it weren't for York U than it would have been much more attractive to run the line above ground.

Even if York U said nothing, the consultants probably would not have chosen to elevate the alignment through York U. I went back to the EA, and only one alignment option - N1 made some use of the lands you are talking about, and the alignment added 2 extra curves to the route. This is the only alignment that makes any use of the lands, and even the south portal for the tunnel/bridge transition would have been in front of a building. The University did not have to say anything, there really is no potential for elevated structures through York U. Alignment N1 did have potential for elevated structure, since the alignment runs parallel to Steeles.

 

[MindMe]

Leaving aside entirely reasonable questions the overall value-for-money that the Spadina extension offers for a moment, one thing that bugs the hell of me are people complaining about subways running to "empty fields."

Subways to empty fields are considerably better things to have than subways running to built-out low-density residential neighbourhoods.

Yeah not sure why people would complain. What's an empty field next to a subway station today is a clutch of condos tomorrow. An empty field isn't paying much property tax. 6 20-30 floor condos are going to be paying a lot of property tax.

 

[TOareaFan]

However if it weren't for York U than it would have been much more attractive to run the line above ground.

Am I missing something...if it weren't for York U would they even be extending the subway?

 

[junctionist]

Am I missing something...if it weren't for York U would they even be extending the subway?

Vaughan and Greg Sorbara were influential in getting it built as well.

 

[nfitz]

Vaughan and Greg Sorbara were influential in getting it built as well.

I think TOareaFan's point isn't that York U was instrumental in getting the expansion built. But that if there was no University there, there would be little need for subway in the first place.

 

[fanoftoronto]

Am I missing something...if it weren't for York U would they even be extending the subway?

True, but it was because the extension went until Vaughan that the project was funded. I believe the TTC only wanted to extend until Steeles but the Provincial government approved funding only if the extension was to Vaughan.

 

[Fresh Start]

All right, where is the land available on York U. to allow an elevated structure?

It's possible:

Both York U and Steeles West Stns could still exist in relatively the same stop locations as the underground plan, and I doubt students would mind one way or the other.

 

[Swarley]

In terms of actual construction, has anyone seen any digging going on for the launch boxes?

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

It's possible:

Both York U and Steeles West Stns could still exist in relatively the same stop locations as the underground plan, and I doubt students would mind one way or the other.

thx fresh

 

[TOareaFan]

I think TOareaFan's point isn't that York U was instrumental in getting the expansion built. But that if there was no University there, there would be little need for subway in the first place.

Exactly....Vaughan and Sobara may have wanted it but if in between Vaughan and the current terminus of the line there wasn't this massive ridership driver called York U it would be no where near where it is on the priority list. So saying "if York wasn't there it could run above ground" is a bit like saying "if my aunt had testicles she would be my uncle" (IMO)

 

[Justin10000]

It's possible:

Both York U and Steeles West Stns could still exist in relatively the same stop locations as the underground plan, and I doubt students would mind one way or the other.

This is the fallacy of just drawing a line on map, and claiming "it can be done". Your line runs throught a number of buildings, and infringes on UPS's property. Not to mention it is not aligned with Keele St.