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Even if we found another $10-15B for transit investment, is extending Sheppard a good use of those funds?
 
Even if we found another $10-15B for transit investment, is extending Sheppard a good use of those funds?

Well what other subway proposals exist beyond the 4 current priority projects? Only Sheppard comes to mind, or maybe a short westerly extension of line 2.
 
Even if we found another $10-15B for transit investment, is extending Sheppard a good use of those funds?

If we found an additional $10B for transit, I'd use it to get through TTCs entire deferred SOGR list on the existing subway; like upgrading station fire systems, install platform doors, etc.

Best Use? Bringing GO structurally to 3 minute rush frequencies in inner portions of all GO owned lines. Actual service would reflect ridership but grade separations, signalling, platform capacity, etc. should be in place to make it possible. Phase B of this is tight integration with local transit (including fares) through the entire GTA. There's no reason why GO LakeShore, Milton, Stouffville, or Barrie should be less useful than TTC Line 1.
 
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Well what other subway proposals exist beyond the 4 current priority projects? Only Sheppard comes to mind, or maybe a short westerly extension of line 2.

Beyond the 4 projects, there's two major projects that will be more urgent in the next round of expansion

-OL will need to be extended from Eglinton to Sheppard (Don Mills) as Line 1 will still be over capacity in the near future

-Line 2 requiring new trains and ATC as it approaches it's capacity

There's some other projects that have less priority like Eglinton East LRT to UTSC, and Finch LRT to either YYZ or Yonge. But whether those LRT extensions are more or less a better use of funds than a Line 4 extension, idk
 
Beyond the 4 projects, there's two major projects that will be more urgent in the next round of expansion

-OL will need to be extended from Eglinton to Sheppard (Don Mills) as Line 1 will still be over capacity in the near future

-Line 2 requiring new trains and ATC as it approaches it's capacity

There's some other projects that have less priority like Eglinton East LRT to UTSC, and Finch LRT to either YYZ or Yonge. But whether those LRT extensions are more or less a better use of funds than a Line 4 extension, idk

As new lines open up and ATC starts fully operating on the old lines, installation of platform screen doors are needed.
 
Well what other subway proposals exist beyond the 4 current priority projects? Only Sheppard comes to mind, or maybe a short westerly extension of line 2.


In addition to the good suggestions made above, the 2041 RTP has a lot of proposed BRT/surface LRT across the region. $10B would go a long way to realizing those plans.
 
Beyond the 4 projects, there's two major projects that will be more urgent in the next round of expansion

-OL will need to be extended from Eglinton to Sheppard (Don Mills) as Line 1 will still be over capacity in the near future

-Line 2 requiring new trains and ATC as it approaches it's capacity

There's some other projects that have less priority like Eglinton East LRT to UTSC, and Finch LRT to either YYZ or Yonge. But whether those LRT extensions are more or less a better use of funds than a Line 4 extension, idk
A line 4 extension would go a long way.
Example, let's say I wanna go to Scarborough city center, and I'm coming from Vaughn, the current option for me is to go down to Eglinton west and then take line 5 to Kennedy, then board line 2 and go up north to my destination.

Now that's quite the distance travelled, but what if, line 4 went to Sheppard west, and took it to Scarborough city center skipping line 5 altogether.

Its not the most needed thing right now but it would definitely allow riders to have more options to get from A to B.

let me know what you think.
 
A line 4 extension would go a long way.
Example, let's say I wanna go to Scarborough city center, and I'm coming from Vaughn, the current option for me is to go down to Eglinton west and then take line 5 to Kennedy, then board line 2 and go up north to my destination.

Now that's quite the distance travelled, but what if, line 4 went to Sheppard west, and took it to Scarborough city center skipping line 5 altogether.

Its not the most needed thing right now but it would definitely allow riders to have more options to get from A to B.

let me know what you think.

A longer Sheppard line would create new fast connections, and certainly wouldn't be useless.

But there are multiple ways to spend the same amount and serve more riders. The Sheppard line being lateral, rather than carrying the riders towards downtown, will have modest ridership. The existing "stubway" only reaches 5.5K at peak, the longer line can get to 8K or maybe 10K. That's less than what the investment of that scale could add in other corridors: OL extended to Sheppard, better GO/RER, or a few light rail lines.
 
A line 4 extension would go a long way.
Example, let's say I wanna go to Scarborough city center, and I'm coming from Vaughn, the current option for me is to go down to Eglinton west and then take line 5 to Kennedy, then board line 2 and go up north to my destination.

Now that's quite the distance travelled, but what if, line 4 went to Sheppard west, and took it to Scarborough city center skipping line 5 altogether.

Its not the most needed thing right now but it would definitely allow riders to have more options to get from A to B.

let me know what you think.
That would be nice. :) Keep in mind that you still have to transfer to Line 2 due to the fact that the Sheppard Subway extension would terminate at Sheppard/McCowan. Not Scarborough City Centre.
 
That would be nice. :) Keep in mind that you still have to transfer to Line 2 due to the fact that the Sheppard Subway extension would terminate at Sheppard/McCowan. Not Scarborough City Centre.
Every time I see this I get angry. I get angry because this could very well happen. We know the Scarborough Town Centre is the central hub for Scarborough, not withstanding the large mall and development planned, but STC is also home to the largest bus terminal in the TTC network, a GO Bus terminal, an Intercity Terminal, and is also the planned terminus of a BRT service to Durham. So this idea of the Sheppard Subway not going to STC, but instead a kilometre north to Sheppard is insane and is to me indicative of everything wrong with transit planning in Toronto. Is there development potential at Sheppard and McCowan? Yes of course, but development potential should never supersede transit connectivity and ease of use. Am I saying the subway shouldn't go to Sheppard? No, it can go to Miliken park for all I care, but the Sheppard Line must go to STC because that's the logical thing to do, it's were all the buses both local and intercity are, and is and has been since the 80's the core of Scarborough. There is nothing wrong with having the Sheppard Subway veer south towards STC after lets say Kennedy. Not to mention if you are intent on sending the Sheppard Line into Durham (not something I necessarily agree with) than Ellesmere is the better road to follow since you would hit UTSC on the way. East of McCowan there is nothing of note on Sheppard. You can still have the SSE go to Sheppard, but the Sheppard Subway should under no circumstances go anywhere but the Scarborough Town Centre.
 
Not the best use. But Doug might borrow for Sheppard, best use or not.

In a way, not the worst use either.

Bottom line we can build the inevitable now or pay 2x-3x over in the future, the extension should have never paused for the duration it has been. Thankful to see well connected, real rapid transit going thru the heart of Scarborough that can no longer be chopped or delayed by outisde interests.

If we can extend the EELRT (or designing that corridor for BRT), constructing the Scarborough-Durham BRT along Ellesmere and people here will actually have a backbone network worth using in the 20-30 years. As of today only short local commutes are efficient and sadly others have tried to use this 'data' against us to prevent building an efficient connected network.
 
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A line 4 extension would go a long way.
Example, let's say I wanna go to Scarborough city center, and I'm coming from Vaughn, the current option for me is to go down to Eglinton west and then take line 5 to Kennedy, then board line 2 and go up north to my destination.

Now that's quite the distance travelled, but what if, line 4 went to Sheppard west, and took it to Scarborough city center skipping line 5 altogether.

Its not the most needed thing right now but it would definitely allow riders to have more options to get from A to B.

let me know what you think.

What I think is just giving people options to taking one subway route over another is not justification to be building those subway, there has to be enough ridership to justify the cost.
 
I'm not opposed to extending Sheppard, it should just be above ground as much as possible. We need to get off the insane treadmill of grossly overpriced tunnels under suburban arterials. And if it means we need to retrofit Line 4 to use lighter trains, so be it. TR are total overkill for a suburban line. We're not going to get the extensive transit in the suburbs people want at $1B per km.
 

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