GenerationW
Senior Member
Somewhere Adam Giambrone is smiling.
- Thread starter 299 bloor call control.
- Start date
TJ O'Pootertoot
Senior Member
That article is a bit weird in that it's "new" but based entirely on the report issued in July. The only thing at all new in there is that the Metrolinx CBA has (apparently) been pushed back from late this year to next.
Otherwise it's just confirmation of what people on this board already know, isn't it?
Otherwise it's just confirmation of what people on this board already know, isn't it?
jaycola
Active Member
If Viva improvements (which as stated above have already been approved) result in a greater number of York Region transit users making their way to the subway at Finch, won't this too put greater pressure on Bloor Station? What is the difference if they get there by bus or an extention of the subway?
At this point my preference would be immediate action to extend the subway to Steeles and the creation of a New LRT for Yonge from Steeles to Major MacKenzie. At a new Steeles station they could allow for a quick and efficient transition from LRT to subway.
Yonge is 6 lanes wide through this section so it's an easy fit. There is a Go station at Major Mac and Yonge as well. I think the section of Yonge north of Major Mac it too narrow to accomodate LRT.
At this point my preference would be immediate action to extend the subway to Steeles and the creation of a New LRT for Yonge from Steeles to Major MacKenzie. At a new Steeles station they could allow for a quick and efficient transition from LRT to subway.
Yonge is 6 lanes wide through this section so it's an easy fit. There is a Go station at Major Mac and Yonge as well. I think the section of Yonge north of Major Mac it too narrow to accomodate LRT.
EnviroTO
Senior Member
I can't figure it out either. For some reason, despite the Yonge line being at capacity now, they think that the overload at Yonge-Bloor is impacted only by a subway extension. Some of the increase in passengers on VIVA, Bus Transit City, and east-west LRT routes will undoubtedly end up dumped onto Yonge because no new north-south route is currently being created but somehow they will miraculously have no effect on Yonge-Bloor.
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
Yeah, and that's one thing that I don't like about this project. They're pretending that the Yonge extension will suddenly get everyone in York Region to suddenly use the subway, and that's just not true. There's already a huge number of people using the subway at Finch station, feeding in from busses.
Sure, subway will attract some riders off the bat who'd usually drive to work. It'll also end up attracting many more riders than BRT or LRT, and will assist the huge planned development in Thornhill and Richmond Hill Centre, as well as linking up with Viva. It'll provide RT to quite a dense corridor (that's going to end up getting a lot more dense with people and jobs,) and will provide a much needed backbone to the transit systems in Richmond Hill and Thornhill that BRT and LRT just can't equal.
So I think it'd make sense to build the Yonge extension and DRL at around the same time, preferably soon. If they can get the DRL built within a year of the Yonge extension, there should be no problems that wouldn't already occur if the extension didn't happen.
Ehh, don't like the idea. Thornhill is really quite dense, and there are a lot of high density development plans for the entire area around Yonge. There's also the planned RHC/Langstaff community that should house thousands of people and jobs. Adding LRT in the mix would just split the corridor up too much as well. Subway up to Langstaff should be able to handle a lot of the traffic, and BRT north of 7 should be adequate for quite a while.
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jaycola
Active Member
I agree that the Yonge subway extention to Highway 7 is the best option but with the foot dragging by all levels of government, the obvious resistance coming from Toronto, the real need for immediate action and the much lower cost for LRT, a compromise may get done a lot quicker.
The impression I often get on this board is that many residents of Toronto want improvements to the transit system but would prefer to keep people from 905 off of it. The streets of Toronto are clogged with 905'ers going about their daily travel. Solutions that work for those in 905 will provide some relief for everyone in Toronto too.
The impression I often get on this board is that many residents of Toronto want improvements to the transit system but would prefer to keep people from 905 off of it. The streets of Toronto are clogged with 905'ers going about their daily travel. Solutions that work for those in 905 will provide some relief for everyone in Toronto too.
kettal
Banned
The problem with extending Yonge Subway is that it will choke on it's own success with any more ridership growth. There is work to do to fix capacity issues before any extension can happen. Area codes are irrelevant.
Voltz
Senior Member
Who ever said those routes wouldn't have an impact on Bloor Yonge? Plans to expand that station have been around for a long time, the Yonge extension project is not the first time it has been thought of.
And I thought transit city routes wouldn't increase ridership?
EnviroTO
Senior Member
Well the TTC is approving both Transit City and Bus Transit City without any pre-requisites of a Downtown Relief Line. They weren't even pushing it much until a Yonge extension was considered and now they consider it a requirement for the extension. If a 5 station extension into York region will overload Bloor-Yonge but Transit City and Bus Transit City combined will not, that doesn't speak highly of the ridership projections of those initiatives. It really doesn't make sense.
Voltz
Senior Member
It makes perfect sense, or not, depending how you look at it. The TTC is pushing relief to Bloor-Yonge with the Yonge extension because they know they will get funding this way.
taal
Senior Member
Just like York Region is pushing for the subway because they know they'll get funding for it ...... whether they need it or not ...
Disparishun
Active Member
I like this idea, as it would result in some combination of a new transfer for substantial numbers of riders, and low LRT use by targetted riders who, instead, figure they'll skip the transfer -- both of which would mesh nicely with Transit City.
leopetr
Active Member
I like this idea, as it would result in some combination of a new transfer for substantial numbers of riders, and low LRT use by targetted riders who, instead, figure they'll skip the transfer -- both of which would mesh nicely with Transit City.
Have you ever used Viva Blue, or any other part of the Viva network? I can't imagine anyone choosing to drive to a parking lot at Finch or a future Steeles station if they live within walking distance of a Viva stop. If nothing else, Yonge is a nightmare to drive on.
A Viva Blue-equivalent LRT line would get pretty high ridership. I wouldn't stop it at Major Mac, though. There's already one artificial terminal at Highway 7 (Richmond Hill Centre), and York Region doesn't need another one. It should either go all the way through to Newmarket/East Gwillimbury, or not exist.
Construction on Highway 7 and Davis Drive exclusive BRT lanes is supposed to start this year, I think.
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
^^ How's Langstaff an artificial terminal? It's at Highway 7 (the main E-W road and soon to be the main E-W high density corridor,) and the 407, which makes for an amazing transit terminal.
The subway most definitely should be extended through Thornhill. I don't see any reason other than "Toronto deserves subways, while York doesn't." Past there, BRT is good enough for a long while. It especially makes no sense to try to pull LRT on the entire route, as ridership has definitely not reached LRT levels north of 7, and especially not in Aurora and Newmarket. Up there, Blue is and always will be acting as a local service and feeder to the Go lines. LRT on a portion of the route (Steeles-Highway 7 or Finch-Major Mac) would be an even worse option, since it unnecessarily splits the route up with little gain, not to mention overlooking the needs of York Region pretty much totally.
The subway most definitely should be extended through Thornhill. I don't see any reason other than "Toronto deserves subways, while York doesn't." Past there, BRT is good enough for a long while. It especially makes no sense to try to pull LRT on the entire route, as ridership has definitely not reached LRT levels north of 7, and especially not in Aurora and Newmarket. Up there, Blue is and always will be acting as a local service and feeder to the Go lines. LRT on a portion of the route (Steeles-Highway 7 or Finch-Major Mac) would be an even worse option, since it unnecessarily splits the route up with little gain, not to mention overlooking the needs of York Region pretty much totally.
Disparishun
Active Member
Wait, you want to build an LRT that is for those commuters "within walking distance of a VIVA stop"? I love it. Hey, if the distance to VIVA is not much further than the distance to your car, an LRT for you!
In the meantime, I think you'll find that the modal split on who gets to Finch how will indicate that most don't live within walking distance of VIVA, etc. Or, you know, you could just have a look at all the cars in the Centrepoint lot as you pass it in the Blue. Hint: they're not having breakfast at the Pickle Barrel.
I have to admit. I like the idea of an LRT in East Gwillimbury, too.
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