Sunnyside
Active Member
There’s really only a few options for this. The government has always recognized the need for something to fill this role, so we have some options to look at. I’ve tossed in some others that “qualify” but really are just something I/UT keeps returning to.
1. Finch hydro corridor- this is no longer an option, but would’ve probably been the only one where it could likely stand alone for Toronto itself.
2. The “midtown line”
3. The original 407 Transitway
4. Now the modern “Interregional LRT” rail version of the transitway instead going to MCC and Pearson via the 403.
5. Sheppard- it can be seen as better mirroring the 401 in any scheme that uses the 407 presently.
The lack of any such lines is twofold; first because they require a good spoke network to connect, which doesn’t exist. This is compounded by the fact that it is/will be entirely at the provinces discretion, existing somewhere between GO and the MTO. Second, It’s also firmly the last stage of any government transit scheme, so something like GO-Urban would get around to it… eventually. But the need is rapidly mounting.
As for the best scheme, the interregional LRT is the most realistic and feasible, specifically from MCC to RHC/Markham. Anything that far north would eventually necessitate a second crosstown south, either at Sheppard or the midtown line. Sheppard could stand on its own perhaps, but the cost and lack of demand to reach YYZ makes the 407 the prudent first choice.
The main takeaway I’d suggest is that this kind of crosstown should be prioritized sooner rather than later, and is more independently needed than we give it credit for. This is mostly because it breaks into new ridership/trip catchments that already move by car and transit. Paralleling the 401 or 407 will be the ultimate means to push drivers onto transit, so it’s need is imo uniquely less dependant on the existing system than we give such interregional lines credit for.
