junctionist
Senior Member
Not much is impossible when the budget is astronomical. But then something like the DRL becomes a more attractive option.
Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s
- Thread starter JasonParis
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Railization
Active Member
I'm sure some have picked this up on Facebook already, but there's a petition for the DRL, and it's looking for signatures. 
http://petitiononline.com/ttcdrl/petition.html
http://petitiononline.com/ttcdrl/petition.html
Dan416
Senior Member
I was petitioner #69
dunkalunk
Senior Member
Congrats?
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
lol I was number 23.
What do you really think are the real chances of this petition of having an impact on Metrolinx and the TTC?
What do you really think are the real chances of this petition of having an impact on Metrolinx and the TTC?
waterloowarrior
Senior Member
Petition pushes Downtown Relief Line
Posted: April 02, 2009, 1:38 PM by Allison Hanes
Filed under: downtown relief line,Michael Thompson,TRAC GTHA
A day after Premier Dalton McGuinty announced $9-billion worth of public transit projects for the Toronto region and "more to come," a city councillor is drawing attention to a petition to promote one more: the so-called Downtown Relief Line.
The petition was started by transit enthusiasts who call themselves Transportation Regional Action Committee, or TRAC GTHA.
The group has been working with Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), who recently won support from fellow Toronto councillors, to call on the province to look at expediting the Downtown Relief line as part of plans to extend subway service into York Region.
The concern in Toronto is that suburban passengers will overwhelm the already-crowded Yonge subway line at rush hours, displacing passengers down the line. One solution to the congestion is an expensive and disruptive overhaul of Yonge-Bloor station.
But Mr. Thompson believes a better fix is one that has been gathering dust for decades: a U-shaped subway line linking the east and west ends of the Bloor-Danforth line by swooping into downtown.
Mr. Thompson believes with a changing of the guard at Metrolinx and the Premier's focus on public transit, the idea could gain momentum once more.
There is no fixed route, but the DRL would run roughly from Pape or Greenwood in the east through Riverdale, Leslieville and the Distillery District, then swing through downtown at the level of Queen, King, Wellington Streets or even along the lakeshore, before hitting the Exhibition, Liberty Village, Parkdale and ending somewhere around High Park.
The $2 billion price tag is comparable to the billion-dollar cost of overhauling Bloor-Yonge Station, but be far more useful.
The petition, launched in recent days, already has about 400 signatures.
Posted: April 02, 2009, 1:38 PM by Allison Hanes
Filed under: downtown relief line,Michael Thompson,TRAC GTHA
A day after Premier Dalton McGuinty announced $9-billion worth of public transit projects for the Toronto region and "more to come," a city councillor is drawing attention to a petition to promote one more: the so-called Downtown Relief Line.
The petition was started by transit enthusiasts who call themselves Transportation Regional Action Committee, or TRAC GTHA.
The group has been working with Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre), who recently won support from fellow Toronto councillors, to call on the province to look at expediting the Downtown Relief line as part of plans to extend subway service into York Region.
The concern in Toronto is that suburban passengers will overwhelm the already-crowded Yonge subway line at rush hours, displacing passengers down the line. One solution to the congestion is an expensive and disruptive overhaul of Yonge-Bloor station.
But Mr. Thompson believes a better fix is one that has been gathering dust for decades: a U-shaped subway line linking the east and west ends of the Bloor-Danforth line by swooping into downtown.
Mr. Thompson believes with a changing of the guard at Metrolinx and the Premier's focus on public transit, the idea could gain momentum once more.
There is no fixed route, but the DRL would run roughly from Pape or Greenwood in the east through Riverdale, Leslieville and the Distillery District, then swing through downtown at the level of Queen, King, Wellington Streets or even along the lakeshore, before hitting the Exhibition, Liberty Village, Parkdale and ending somewhere around High Park.
The $2 billion price tag is comparable to the billion-dollar cost of overhauling Bloor-Yonge Station, but be far more useful.
The petition, launched in recent days, already has about 400 signatures.
golodhendil
Active Member
Anyone knows what's the status of DRL lately? Is the city council still willing to fight for it?
Second_in_pie
Senior Member
I don't think you can call it "Fighting for it." I guess once the Yonge Extension gets running then it'll finally get started. Who knows when that'll be though, and the City might just end up doing it in a very cheap-ass way, like running it as LRT, or directly along the rails with 0% tunneling.
SGHA504
New Member
Thinking about this "underground" push for the DRL from citizen groups such as us and how it doesnt have any official planning or buzz from city hall yet - was this how Transit City came into existance? Was there a similar movement from the people, leading to an announcement about the LRT lines, or was it just plopped into our laps one day?
I mean, I know the issue of expaning transit had been prevalent and needed, but was there any sort of petition to pressure the different levels of government to embark on such a project?
Just trying to compare the DRL to be with how Transit City came to pass - seeing if there are any parallels. Perhaps enough clamoring for this needed line will force the hand of the powers that be to simply have the DRL become Transit City 2.
Sorry if that was a bit of a messy thought...my point is, I'm trying to gauge where we're going by where we've been.
I mean, I know the issue of expaning transit had been prevalent and needed, but was there any sort of petition to pressure the different levels of government to embark on such a project?
Just trying to compare the DRL to be with how Transit City came to pass - seeing if there are any parallels. Perhaps enough clamoring for this needed line will force the hand of the powers that be to simply have the DRL become Transit City 2.
Sorry if that was a bit of a messy thought...my point is, I'm trying to gauge where we're going by where we've been.
GenerationW
Senior Member
I'm guessing nothing will happen until after the Spadina and Yonge extensions are built. And even then nothing might happen.
trnstn
New Member
About the Petition
Are there efforts being put forward from the people who made the petition to get the petition out to more people in the city?
We should start a petition to get the TTC to make a 30-year expansion plan... and also to ban their union (half-kidding about that)
Are there efforts being put forward from the people who made the petition to get the petition out to more people in the city?
We should start a petition to get the TTC to make a 30-year expansion plan... and also to ban their union (half-kidding about that)
golodhendil
Active Member
I thought they were trying to make planning/starting to build the DRL as a precondition for the Yonge extension, no?
GenerationW
Senior Member
As a precondition? Not that I've heard even though it would make sense. Getting promises (if not guarantees) from the Province and/or Feds to build the DRL and/or finish Sheppard and/or extend B-D from Kennedy to STC to replace the SRT in exchange for supporting the Spadina and Yonge extensions outside the TTC's mandate into York Region would have meant real political leadership from City Hall.
golodhendil
Active Member
^ Post #385:
GenerationW
Senior Member
Sounds nice, but it's still only a recommendation, and a meaningless one at that since it's not ahead of the Yonge extension.