[kEiThZ]

Your kidding right? Surely it's blindingly obvious that any kind of serious study would demonstrate that the subway wouldn't add much more additional benefit - and may even cause a loss with the removal of the Lawrence East station (and to a lesser extend the other 3 stations) - and yet be exceedingly expensive.

Remember they only carried forward the options that passed the earlier screenings.

1) They never reveal their screening criteria completely. They just say they were screened out. Working in government long enough, I know exactly what that phrase means.

2) Their methodology drew a huge chunk of economic impact from construction. Combine that with the huge impact/catchment area that they assess for subway stops, it's entirely feasible that a subway would be a wash (since huge chunks of the McCowan, Midland, STC and Ellesmere impact areas overlap anyway).

If only they'd publish their data....

 

[kEiThZ]

If I had to choose between these two options, I'd rather extend the Sheppard line, and live with SLRT and transfer at Kennedy.

Extending Sheppard brings rapid transit closer to areas that have none at present (save for the infrequent Stouffville GO). The number of riders who benefit from such extension may be smaller than from Danforth extension. But the benefit can be large, shaving 15 or even 20 min from their commute each way when they switch from Vic Park, Warden, Kennedy, Finch East buses, and maybe Ellesmere.

The number of riders who benefit from Danforth extension could be larger, but the benefit for each rider will be very small, in the range of 3-5 min each way due to the elimination of transfer.

I can understand where you're coming from. Personally, I think dollars should go to benefiting the most riders. But the only reason I would accept your solution is because I do believe that a Bloor-Danforth extension is inevitable. If it doesn't happen now, it will 30 years down the road (too bad that'll overcrowded for 25 of those 30 but that's a different matter). But subway expansion on Sheppard is under threat, and getting it to Agincourt would be a reasonable compromise.

 

[rbt]

2) Their methodology drew a huge chunk of economic impact from construction.

I really dislike this particular feature of Metrolinx BCAs.

Hiring 500 people to move rocks from Location A to location B, cleaning them, then back to the ground at location A would also do pretty well on their BCA due to economic impact (500 people have jobs and rock hauling equipment is purchased locally).

 

[kEiThZ]

How would Lawrence East remain? The tail tracks out of Kennedy head down Eglinton. You'd have to rip up the entire Kennedy station to result in a Lawrence West station in the Kennedy/Midland area.

Why would a Lawrence East station be built in the Kennedy/Midland area?

Either some houses and expropriated and we use old ROW/corridor and you end up with a Lawrence station at Brimley. Or you use the Danforth alignment and end up with a station at the foot of Scarborough General. Or we do some heavy engineering and use the current SRT ROW which puts the new Lawrence East where the current Lawrence East is today.

Where have you seen plans for a station at Kennedy and Midland?

 

[Rainforest]

If the subway does get extended (which is unlikely), then probably the smartest way to serve the current Lawrence East location with rapid transit is to add a GO station there. SRT tracks run next to the Uxbridge sub track.

 

[nfitz]

Why would a Lawrence East station be built in the Kennedy/Midland area?

The discussion was about the existing Lawrence East station. unimaginative2 said it would remain, and I queried how it could with the existing station alignment at Kennedy station.

Where have you seen plans for a station at Kennedy and Midland?

On the station wall, I believe.

 

[unimaginative2]

How would Lawrence East remain? The tail tracks out of Kennedy head down Eglinton. You'd have to rip up the entire Kennedy station to result in a Lawrence West station in the Kennedy/Midland area.

Obviously it wouldn't be in the Kennedy/Midland area. It's just serving bus transfer passengers anyway. It doesn't matter at all if it's a few blocks east. If anything, it would be a bit more convenient for most people.

 

[nfitz]

Obviously it wouldn't be in the Kennedy/Midland area.

I thought it was obvious. Which is why I noted that building the subway " may even cause a loss with the removal of the Lawrence East station". You then noted that "Lawrence East would remain".

 

[unimaginative2]

Wow. Okay. Just to make this perfectly clear: a Lawrence East station would remain, though it wouldn't necessarily be in the exact same place as the existing RT station. Lawrence would still be served.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

It doesn't get more obvious than stating a Lawrence East station would remain. It's obvious to my cat.

Why would a Lawrence East station be built in the Kennedy/Midland area?

You'd build Lawrence East at Midland if the extension went up Midland. A surface station in the hydro corridor between Midland & Brimley might be ideal, actually.

 

[Fresh Start]

I'm curious as to how a Brimley/Lawrence Station would work today given the configuration of the Bloor-Danforth Line at Kennedy Stn and the TTC recommending a minimum of 300 degrees turning radius for future lines. I personally think Danforth-McCowan is the best alignment to use because it would serve the most people. Several of the routes east of Kennedy Stn could terminate at a Brimley/Eglinton stop smack-dab at the triangle.

 

[unimaginative2]

TTC recommending a minimum of 300 degrees turning radius for future lines

That's one of those "ideal world" engineering requirements that have been sending the costs of major infrastructure projects soaring. Sure, it might be nice to always have massive turning radii, but it's obviously not necessary. Union station works perfectly fine with very tight curves. If millions can be saved by squealing the wheels a bit, why not do it? Likewise, if millions can be saved by cutting and covering or (gasp!) building on or above the surface, why not do it? The Spadina extension report briefly examined elevating a section of the route and then dismissed it out of hand for being slightly less operationally ideal without even mentioning how much money would be saved. If it would actually only be $10 million, fine, build it underground. But it obviously would be hundreds of millions and that's worth a relocated tail track.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Great work, Metrolinx!

 

[christiesplits]

Good Lord.

 

[GraphicMatt]

Does a Finch West that goes from Keele to Humber College make any sense? Is that a misprint?