pipolchap
Active Member
You mean the tumor in the Don Mills line north of Sheppard? I don't remember that being there in the original maps.
Lol, that's the Peanut Plaza!
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- Thread starter 299 bloor call control.
- Start date
Lol, that's the Peanut Plaza!
khris
Senior Member
GTA transit gets $9B jump-start
Miller says provincial cash for light rail lines will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock
Tess Kalinowski
transportation reporter
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO
The corners of Finch and Yonge serves as a hub that brings the TTC, York Region Transit, Viva and Go Transit together in one small area.
Two years after the TTC mapped out a vision for sleek, Euro-style light rail lines stretching to the suburbs, Queen's Park has given the city the money to begin building.
Jubilant politicians and transit officials gathered in a York Region bus garage yesterday for a precedent-setting $9 billion provincial announcement that gives the city the $7.2 billion it needs to pay for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West line, two of seven proposed light rail lines, plus expanding and refurbishing the aging Scarborough RT.
"This is the delivery of the money, the commitment the premier made, to fund Transit City," said Mayor David Miller.
Calling it "the most ambitious project of its kind in Canadian history," Premier Dalton McGuinty said there is more money to come.
The announcement did not cover the Sheppard East LRT line, which is supposed to be the first of the Transit City lines to appear. Construction is to start in September for completion around 2013, at a cost of $1.2 billion.
The TTC also plans to issue a contract later this month, worth at least $1.25 billion, for 204 streetcars to replace its deteriorating 30-year-old fleet.
"There could not be a more important announcement about building a 21st-century city," Miller said, adding it will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock, and encourage investment.
"No longer will someone who lives in northeast Scarborough and works in southwest Etobicoke have to spend hours taking four different modes of public transit to get from A to B. They'll be able to navigate the city and the region quickly and efficiently and reliably."
Included in the $9 billion is:
• $4.6 billion for the 32.5-kilometre Eglinton line, which would extend from Pearson airport to Kennedy station in the east. About 13 kilometres will run underground, roughly between Leslie and Keele Sts. Construction is expected to begin next year and be complete by 2016. Planners anticipate the line will carry 52 million riders annually by 2021.
• $1.2 billion for Finch West, an 18-kilometre line between Humber College's north campus, near Highway 27, and the Yonge subway at Finch station. That line, also expected to break ground next year, is to be running by 2013. The TTC may extend the line to Don Mills, where it could connect with the Sheppard subway and LRT. The TTC predicts it will have an annual ridership of 24 million by 2021.
• The 30-year-old, 7.2-kilometre Scarborough RT will get new vehicles and be extended to Malvern Town Centre or Markham Rd., for $1.4 billion. Construction is to begin next year for service in 2015.
• York Region will get $1.4 billion to buy more buses and extend its Viva bus rapidways, centre lanes designated exclusively for buses. The sections funded include Highway 7 from Vaughan Centre to Markham Centre at Kennedy; Yonge St. from Richmond Hill Centre to 19th Ave.; and Yonge St. from Mulock Dr. to Davis Dr., then east to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. The first segment is supposed to be complete by 2011, with full service by 2013.
• Hamilton will get $3 million to study two rapid-transit corridors.
Miller called the cost estimates on TTC lines "broad-brush" numbers.
Environmental assessments must still be completed, but the province's new streamlined process for transit puts a six-month cap on environmental assessments for such projects, McGuinty said.
"We need the jobs they create today, and for tomorrow we need more and better transit, because this recession is going to end."
He and Miller acknowledged construction will prompt complaints.
"But on the other hand, particularly (for) small retail businesses, there are significant opportunities for success once you have rapid transit," Miller said. "Everywhere in the city you have rapid transit, people want to live (there). Parts of all these lines go through neighbourhoods that need a boost."
The package does not include any federal money, but Miller said he's hopeful the city will be able to make use of some of the infrastructure cash Ottawa announced earlier.
The projects covered by yesterday's pledge are all part of the province's MoveOntario 2020 program announced in June 2007. They were also recommended in the Metrolinx 25-year regional transportation plan revealed in September, among $50 billion in proposed improvements to transit in the Toronto-Hamilton area.
It's still not clear where most of the money to implement the Metrolinx plan will come from.
Source
Miller says provincial cash for light rail lines will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock
Tess Kalinowski
transportation reporter
STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO
The corners of Finch and Yonge serves as a hub that brings the TTC, York Region Transit, Viva and Go Transit together in one small area.
Two years after the TTC mapped out a vision for sleek, Euro-style light rail lines stretching to the suburbs, Queen's Park has given the city the money to begin building.
Jubilant politicians and transit officials gathered in a York Region bus garage yesterday for a precedent-setting $9 billion provincial announcement that gives the city the $7.2 billion it needs to pay for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and the Finch West line, two of seven proposed light rail lines, plus expanding and refurbishing the aging Scarborough RT.
"This is the delivery of the money, the commitment the premier made, to fund Transit City," said Mayor David Miller.
Calling it "the most ambitious project of its kind in Canadian history," Premier Dalton McGuinty said there is more money to come.
The announcement did not cover the Sheppard East LRT line, which is supposed to be the first of the Transit City lines to appear. Construction is to start in September for completion around 2013, at a cost of $1.2 billion.
The TTC also plans to issue a contract later this month, worth at least $1.25 billion, for 204 streetcars to replace its deteriorating 30-year-old fleet.
"There could not be a more important announcement about building a 21st-century city," Miller said, adding it will create jobs, reduce pollution and gridlock, and encourage investment.
"No longer will someone who lives in northeast Scarborough and works in southwest Etobicoke have to spend hours taking four different modes of public transit to get from A to B. They'll be able to navigate the city and the region quickly and efficiently and reliably."
Included in the $9 billion is:
• $4.6 billion for the 32.5-kilometre Eglinton line, which would extend from Pearson airport to Kennedy station in the east. About 13 kilometres will run underground, roughly between Leslie and Keele Sts. Construction is expected to begin next year and be complete by 2016. Planners anticipate the line will carry 52 million riders annually by 2021.
• $1.2 billion for Finch West, an 18-kilometre line between Humber College's north campus, near Highway 27, and the Yonge subway at Finch station. That line, also expected to break ground next year, is to be running by 2013. The TTC may extend the line to Don Mills, where it could connect with the Sheppard subway and LRT. The TTC predicts it will have an annual ridership of 24 million by 2021.
• The 30-year-old, 7.2-kilometre Scarborough RT will get new vehicles and be extended to Malvern Town Centre or Markham Rd., for $1.4 billion. Construction is to begin next year for service in 2015.
• York Region will get $1.4 billion to buy more buses and extend its Viva bus rapidways, centre lanes designated exclusively for buses. The sections funded include Highway 7 from Vaughan Centre to Markham Centre at Kennedy; Yonge St. from Richmond Hill Centre to 19th Ave.; and Yonge St. from Mulock Dr. to Davis Dr., then east to Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. The first segment is supposed to be complete by 2011, with full service by 2013.
• Hamilton will get $3 million to study two rapid-transit corridors.
Miller called the cost estimates on TTC lines "broad-brush" numbers.
Environmental assessments must still be completed, but the province's new streamlined process for transit puts a six-month cap on environmental assessments for such projects, McGuinty said.
"We need the jobs they create today, and for tomorrow we need more and better transit, because this recession is going to end."
He and Miller acknowledged construction will prompt complaints.
"But on the other hand, particularly (for) small retail businesses, there are significant opportunities for success once you have rapid transit," Miller said. "Everywhere in the city you have rapid transit, people want to live (there). Parts of all these lines go through neighbourhoods that need a boost."
The package does not include any federal money, but Miller said he's hopeful the city will be able to make use of some of the infrastructure cash Ottawa announced earlier.
The projects covered by yesterday's pledge are all part of the province's MoveOntario 2020 program announced in June 2007. They were also recommended in the Metrolinx 25-year regional transportation plan revealed in September, among $50 billion in proposed improvements to transit in the Toronto-Hamilton area.
It's still not clear where most of the money to implement the Metrolinx plan will come from.
Source
Hipster Duck
Senior Member
The Finch east extension is ridiculous. Now we will have two ways of getting from downtown North York to Fairview mall, one of them slow and entirely superfluous.
Extending the Sheppard subway west to Downsview and terminating the Finch West LRT at Keele/Finch station on the Spadina line would have been a far better strategy.
Extending the Sheppard subway west to Downsview and terminating the Finch West LRT at Keele/Finch station on the Spadina line would have been a far better strategy.
rbt
Senior Member
I'm curious to know where the Finch East bus route will terminate. It may also end up running to Don Mills.
Amphibius
Banned
Okay, I have another proposal. What if there was no Sheppard East LRT at all, but rather a flying-U Finch Crosstown LRT? This could route from Humber College to Morningside Heights, with the mid-section running along Sheppard via the existing subway tunnel and at-grade down the median of Sheppard West to Downsview. Then either via Dufferin or Keele Sts the LRT rejoins the Finch Ave alignment continuing west with an abridged Finch bus running in-between Finch West Stn and Seneca College.
For the eastern leg, the LRT runs adjacent to the DVP on the left-hand side with a possible stop at the Van Horne overpass before looping into Seneca and continuing eastbound. At Neilson, the LRT then veers southwest to meet with the Scarborough RT @Malvern Town Centre offering a connection to STC. It'd be long but would consolidate several transfer points into one continuous ride and utilize the Sheppard subway ROW such that it not become a white elephant.
For the eastern leg, the LRT runs adjacent to the DVP on the left-hand side with a possible stop at the Van Horne overpass before looping into Seneca and continuing eastbound. At Neilson, the LRT then veers southwest to meet with the Scarborough RT @Malvern Town Centre offering a connection to STC. It'd be long but would consolidate several transfer points into one continuous ride and utilize the Sheppard subway ROW such that it not become a white elephant.
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
That's an interesting, albeit confusing idea. I really don't see why we couldn't have both a Finch Crosstown and Sheppard East line. We could use the Hydro corridor in some places for Monarail or ART, and provide very rapid transit across the northern part of the city. If you ask me, we should get both. Whether we will or not, is another story.
EDIT: That plan makes good use of the current infrastructure, but it's rather patchy: You miss a large part of finch, and the rest you miss sheppard, all simply to save money.
Brandon716
Senior Member
Certain parts of Transit City are a disaster, especially the idea of completing Sheppard as a separate LRT line. But it appears the provincial government is in tune with these shortcomings, and I'm very impressed with the Eglinton LRT plan. Having over 10 km underground is more than significant, and as long as they plan on having multiple-car trains instead of some of the "very light" light rail systems I have seen (aka glorified streetcars), maybe the plan to use less costly LRT isn't a bad one for Eglinton. It is being planned to go from the airport to Kennedy station afterall, a significant journey that would not be affordable with subway standards.
Transit City is growing on me these days, so long as they don't screw up Sheppard and make other key mistakes. Luckily Sheppard East LRT wasn't financed, and I think its because Queens Park is in tune with the needs of Toronto.
Now, if we can only get a subway DRL...
Transit City is growing on me these days, so long as they don't screw up Sheppard and make other key mistakes. Luckily Sheppard East LRT wasn't financed, and I think its because Queens Park is in tune with the needs of Toronto.
Now, if we can only get a subway DRL...
sjc
Active Member
>>>The Finch east extension is ridiculous. Now we will have two ways of getting from downtown North York to Fairview mall, one of them slow and entirely superfluous.<<<
I agree. Perhaps after there is something running east from Don Mills, it might be worth extending the Finch system to connect with it. Until then, they should stick to going west from Yonge.
I agree. Perhaps after there is something running east from Don Mills, it might be worth extending the Finch system to connect with it. Until then, they should stick to going west from Yonge.
Ansem
Banned
The EA on Sheppard East said that the subway was justified to Victoria Park.
Common sense would have them build the line to there a least. I don't mind the LRT east from Victoria Park because in the future they could always curve the line to STC.
Common sense would have them build the line to there a least. I don't mind the LRT east from Victoria Park because in the future they could always curve the line to STC.
Amphibius
Banned
Why spend $1 billon dollars on a 2-stop subway extension to VP when even the the 190 express buses skip Consumers? It's wasteful as most bus riders travelling in from VP to Don Mills Stn would reach there within 5 short minutes. I'd support a Finch East LRT vs. anything going further along Sheppard East because nodally it already has a lot of commercial/residential developments (Seneca; Bridlewood Mall; Woodside Sq; Malvern Town Ctr) whereas Sheppard is limited to just Agincourt. This is why I feel interlining the Finch LRT onto the Sheppard subway right-of-way would benefit the greatest number of people; without unnecessary duplication of service i.e. operating parallel LRTs along Finch AND Sheppard concurrently.
Ansem
Banned
Because the EA said it was worth it, meaning they will get their money back...
So why not build it if make transit faster for the commuters there???
Voltz
Senior Member
The original plans for the sheppard subway may have been to VP, but it was never worth building, regardless of whatever nonsense the TTC was spewing back when they where trying to justify the Mel Lastman memorial subway
nfitz
Superstar
There's pretty good demand at Victoria Park. Given that they are talking about tunelling the LRT under the DVP anyways, the question is, what is the marginal cost of construct it as subway to VP?
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
If you did a full EA, you could "justify" a subway in a lot of places. The only question is whether it simply makes sense or not. The only change I could see a Sheppard Subway being in the future is to bring the LRT through NYCC to Yonge St and make a full Sheppard East line. Sure subway is good, but past Don Mills, LRT will be able to serve Sheppard well for a very long time.
doady
Senior Member
You could say the same about any bus service. The Sheppard East bus will be able to serve Sheppard well for a very long time, but I want something better than bus and something better than LRT and two permanent forced transfers on Sheppard.