Is not pretty reading. Basically, half the stations cut (most of which in Toronto). Routing changed, and will serve fewer riders. No positive business case.

EDIT: Got one station wrong, so 1 in Toronto, 2 in York Region. My bad :(
 
Last edited:
This is very disappointing, why is the price so bloated?
I don’t know. I was shocked at the $500M/station. That’s partially why the stations at Cummer (T), Clark (YR) and Royal Orchard (YR) got cut. Also, the cost of tunneling was mentioned.
 
Screenshot 2021-03-18 at 12.15.21.png

A rough rough mockup by me. I wonder if Doug is angling for York Region to cough up the funds if they want more stations!
The plan specifies that the three stations originally proposed as Cummer, Clark and Royal Orchard will not all be built. The Metrolinx report ... said only one could make the cut.
There would also be an underground station at Steeles Avenue and surface-level ones at Highway 7 and about 400 metres north of the highway, near a street called High Tech Road.
 
Globe and Mail article on this here:


The business case for this line, in the near term is to Steeles, with a Cummer Station.

The cut, would be to slim down the bloat of the Steeles bus terminal.

Once you go north of Steeles, the business case is almost certainly better sticking to Yonge, and with more stations, predicated on the assumption that future density justifies the investment.

The diversion will not assist in that regard.

I would argue for a slow-build (going in order, one station at a time, through to Steeles or Clark), with an extension option on the contract to go further subject to budget.

Its the same argument I would make for the R/L (Ontario Line) which I would still prefer the original concept of, built from Osgoode to Danforth, with an extension option to go north to Don Mills/Eg if the project is on budget.

Continuous build is cheaper, but buy it in bite-sized chunks.

That's how large portion of Line 1 and 2 got done.
 
All very interesting. It says "3 or 4 stations in total," so you have to figure they'll still try to do one of the three smaller stations. I'd guess Clark, due to the transit connectivity and centrality but clearly that's still TBD. Maybe that one development sells them on Royal Orchard? [Cummer seems like the real stinker if you have to choose, but again, who knows?] What's clear is they were given a price envelope, told they had to build Steeles and the final 2 stations and avoid going under the cemetery and see what else you can do within the budget.

That alignment map above probably isn't too far off except it likely doesn't cut east that far south if Royal Orchard is even remotely still under consideration. They wouldn't veer off Yonge until they have to, if for no other reason than to preserve the possibility of future stations. Either way, it's going to cut under the residential area and one might expect that between that and the loss of stations, some Markham/York Region people won't be thrilled.

The two above-ground stations kind of make sense and it can actually be good for Langstaff to be shifted to the centre of the development instead of way out on the Yonge side. And since they talked about decking over the rail corridor, it would be "above ground" but still potentially "underground" for the development.They must be losing the parking or have some clever solution there but I guess big parking lots shouldn't be the selling point for any of these stations.

Despite the end of that article, I don't think it will substantially undermine development projects in York Region. Even if there's no station at Clark, development's going to come along the whole corridor, from Steeles up. Royal Orchard is the one station where that makes a difference and I haven't been convinced that one makes sense anyway.

I look forward to seeing the details on Tuesday.

The business case for this line, in the near term is to Steeles, with a Cummer Station.

The cut, would be to slim down the bloat of the Steeles bus terminal.

I'm long on record saying this makes no sense and I think that's even clearer. The line ONLY makes sense if you get development at Highway 7. The economy of scale of digging to Steeles to build 2 stations, one of which is already walking distance of the terminal is just not there.

The extra development uptake at Clark and Royal Orchard is obviously a factor but it's minimal compared to the mega-density at Highway 7 and that's why the business case is there, and has always been there, even if the only stops are Steeles and 7. Even if my opinion were wrong, that's what the Metrolinx report is going to say.

EDIT - per what I said above, this didn't take long!
(In fairness, if I lived in this neighbourhood, especially with the limited information these news reports, I'd also be wondering how the hell they're digging a subway under my neighbourhood.)
1616071592648.png
 
Last edited:
I think the Langstaff / hwy 7 station will be on the south side of the 407. If its on the north side then they should just move the high-tech station up to 16th.
There's nothing south of the 407 other than industrial lands, the cemetery and a hydro corridor. North of the 407 @ Highway 7 would likely be an interchange with Langstaff GO.

Agreed that a station further north sounds like a better idea...
Screenshot 2021-03-18 at 12.37.19.png
 
There's nothing south of the 407 other than industrial lands, the cemetery and a hydro corridor. North of the 407 @ Highway 7 would likely be an interchange with Langstaff GO.

Agreed that a station further north sounds like a better idea...
View attachment 306424
Offical plan.PNG

If you see above image , this is Markham's 2014 official plan and it will no longer be industrial. I still want them to move high tech to 16th like the old original plans /ideas for the Yonge subway.
 
EDIT - per what I said above, this didn't take long!
1616071592648.png
Interestingly enough, I checked out his website and it appears he was shown the new plans by Metrolinx. He created this route map of how the line will reach the RH corridor. This possibly the route Metrolinx wants to take?


Snip-it_1616072535619.jpg
 
Interestingly enough, I checked out his website and it appears he was shown the new plans by Metrolinx. He created this route map of how the line will reach the RH corridor. This possibly the route Metrolinx wants to take?


View attachment 306430
that's a hard right turn but, yes, that makes sense. It's an alignment that allows for the future addition of all stations, including Royal Orchard. Whether they're still deciding now (which is clearly what it sounds like) or in the future, you wouldn't have an alignment that leaves Yonge before Royal Orchard, unless you have to. Presumably it doesn't come above ground until north of the cemetery, since they wouldn't want a tunnel in the middle of it.

But, man... Is there anywhere else a subway in this City runs right under a neighbourhood like that? Line 2 is pretty much always right under the street and Line 1 obviously goes under downtown but also, as far as I can picture, steers clear of this kind of environment. Presumably clever engineers can make it work but if I lived in that neighbourhood, yeah, I'd be calling my local councillor today to ask WTF.
 

Back
Top