[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Only RHC and part of Langstaff will see development like North York Centre. The rest will see very little.
As I said in the past, the line north of Steeles is not going to see the density or development like what is taking place at NYC or plan from it north to Steeles as the Region dose not or cannot change that area for various reasons. The NIMBY have opposed more density for this area. Thornhill is a historical area and very little in the way of density can take place there.

Now tell me where all these so call riders going to come from to support this extension?? I am looking at beyond 25 year window.

Since you're first paragraph is incorrect, it's easy to answer your question.

This is the new secondary plan Markham has for the Yonge/Steeles area...

...the bottom right is the Yonge/Steeles corner and then Yonge goes north off to the left, basically up to Clark. Of course, World on Yonge is already under construction so this isn't a 25-year window; this is already underway.

The Vaughan side of the street is similar, now occupied largely by car dealerships just begging for redevelopment. I couldn't find a good graphic online but you can see the city's presentation here.

This conceptual drawing shows the Yonge-Steeles corridor with two 40+-storey towers straddling a site now home to a crappy strip mall and Taco Bell. (Steeles, going off to the right, Yonge up to the top, more or less.)

...so that's 50K residents NOT including Langstaff and RHC (about another 50K there).

Toronto's planners seem more reticent to dive in, so far. But there's already some apartments along that stretch and it's easy to drive along and see other prime locations.

The Thornhill heritage district is protected, yes, but that's only a few blocks that are basically unaffected since the nearest stations will be at Clark and Langstaff.

And, as I've said multiple times, there are STILL big benefits just to moving those YRT/GO riders north. Drivers, still entangled in that pesky War on the Car, should be happy to see all those buses gone. (In addition to traffic, it's better for road resurfacing, carbon emissions etc. too). It is, in short, a far more efficient way, to get people from where they are coming from to where they are going which is, last I checked, the point of transit.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

This is Rob Ford's last chance to save face and tell people that he "won" and "we're building subways". However, I very much doubt that any shovels will be in the ground before the next election. The EA will take at least a couple of years and it'll be 2020 before any ribbons are cut. Ford will have to wear the parking taxes or road tolls without any subways built to show for it. This is why I think we're going to get another set of failed negotiations and we're building the Sheppard LRT instead.

I think you're right about no shovels going in the ground before 2014 but the EA won't take a couple of years. The new EPR's the province has are much faster. Start-to-finish, I don't think the Yonge extension EA was much more than six months. I guess crossing Earl Bales etc. would be more complicated but it should still be a lot faster than it used to be, no?

 

[renvel]

Wiilowdale & Yonge

In my opinion ,the first order of priority should not be Sheppard East extention or Finch West LRT,
but costraction of the Willowdale Station on the Sheppard Line & Yonge Subway Extention to Richmond Hill...

 

[Rainforest]

^ The Richmond Hill subway extension is contingent on DRL.

There is no champion for the Willowdale station. Locals are not interested because they don't want the density that will come with the subway station. They have 2 buses (85 and 98) and seem to be OK with it; and many residents of that rather affluent area drive anyway. For other riders, there is no personal benefit; only the inconvenience of construction and a slight increase in travel time once the new station opens. It might not cost a lot to add Willowdale station as it has been roughed in, but noone but a very few transit policy advocates will push for it.

 

[renvel]

^ The Richmond Hill subway extension is contingent on DRL.

There is no champion for the Willowdale station. Locals are not interested because they don't want the density that will come with the subway station. They have 2 buses (85 and 98) and seem to be OK with it; and many residents of that rather affluent area drive anyway. For other riders, there is no personal benefit; only the inconvenience of construction and a slight increase in travel time once the new station opens. It might not cost a lot to add Willowdale station as it has been roughed in, but noone but a very few transit policy advocates will push for it.

That how subway network supposed to be developed? In other words , Willowdale is not key location for a subway station?! No matter the obvious need for addition ridership ,that comes ,YES, with the added density.
So, those "affluent" people do not want to distord the village like atmosphere along one of the major arterial streets,whis is now lined up with old bungalows und run down strip plazas?!! What a WORLD CLASS CITY...

 

[Rainforest]

That how subway network supposed to be developed? In other words , Willowdale is not key location for a subway station?! No matter the obvious need for addition ridership ,that comes ,YES, with the added density.
So, those "affluent" people do not want to distord the village like atmosphere along one of the major arterial streets,whis is now lined up with old bungalows und run down strip plazas?!! What a WORLD CLASS CITY...

I am not saying Willowdale station is a bad idea; merely that nobody will push for it and hence it is unlikely to happen.

 

[GenerationW]

^ The Richmond Hill subway extension is contingent on DRL.

No, it's contingent on getting Provincial and (likely) Federal funding.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

No, it's contingent on getting Provincial and (likely) Federal funding.

Because Toronto will comply and roll over just like that.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

No, it's contingent on getting Provincial and (likely) Federal funding.

Toronto won't allow the extension to be built without the DRL. Period.

 

[rbt]

Toronto won't allow the extension to be built without the DRL. Period.

Might have to. We need the extension to boost service downtown by fixing the Finch turnback point which is a current capacity constraint.

Frankly, I think Metrolinx has more interest in the DRL as a Union Station relief line than the TTC.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Yonge Extension is one the Metrolinx top unfunded projects.
DRL is in the Metrolinx 25-year envelope.
Based on today's news, I think it's safe to say Toronto's transit planning is currently the biggest joke in the province.
Ergo, I conclude that while the DRL is surely needed sooner rather than later, Toronto doesn't have the power or money to dictate which goes forward first at this point.

 

[nfitz]

Because the TTC can't operate them. They've said that a human operator can't line up the train reliably enough and that's why it will require ATO.

And yet in London on the Jubilee line, a human operator can not only match the train to the platform - they can also line-up to the platform doors.

 

[Palma]

And yet in London on the Jubilee line, a human operator can not only match the train to the platform - they can also line-up to the platform doors.

I must be missing something. What is this lining up the train mean?

 

[nfitz]

I must be missing something. What is this lining up the train mean?

TTC has claimed that they can't put the 7th car in to make the trains longer, because they won't be able to accurately stop the full-length train in the station without risking overshooting. Yet many other systems uses full-length trains without this being a significant issue.

 

[drum118]

TTC has claimed that they can't put the 7th car in to make the trains longer, because they won't be able to accurately stop the full-length train in the station without risking overshooting. Yet many other systems uses full-length trains without this being a significant issue.

TTC operators over shoot stations today, but very rare.

TTC is real great for coming up with excuses why certain things cannot be done when they are done daily around the world by a human on other systems.

The drivers who over shoot the station a few times will find themselves either been retain or sent to the surface to operate something. Its only going to take a few drivers relocated to drive home that you either doing it right or you will not be driving a train.

With the changes taking place within TTC today, we will or should see a few empire cease to exist and a better operating company.

The big change has to be at the commissioners level by holding staff feet to the fire for getting things done faster, at a lower cost with better customer service. Staff has got away with a number of things over the years because they were not been held accountable as well reinventing the wheel when things could be bought off the shelf for haft the cost.

For TTC to add that 7th car, a new redesign of the train will have to take place costing $$ because it was never allow for in the first place, just like the ATO.