DRL Route through the core.

[leopetr]

and the possible future GO station is at bathurst, not spadina.

It's at Spadina. "Bathurst Yards" go from Bathurst to Spadina.

 

[nfitz]

... and the possible future GO station is at bathurst, not spadina.

Enough with the April Fools jokes already. It's after noon.

 

[BurlOak]

I note that both preferred routes are located such that there are no traditional interchange stations (i.e. one station directly on top of the other). I think this shows the authors preference to have the line built with cost in mind - which is sometimes rare amongst DRL line enthusiasts.

 

[Jaye101]

I'm happy this was an April fools joke after reading "the western section will be built in a later phase."

 

[someMidTowner]

UrbanToronto was mentioned on torontoist.com's list of this year's April Fool's Day pranks!

http://torontoist.com/2013/04/extra-extra-april-fools-day-comes-to-toronto/#more-245157

 

[innsertnamehere]

I'm happy this was an April fools joke after reading "the western section will be built in a later phase."

lucky for you it appears the western portion will be in phase one, at least metrolinx's version of phase one.

 

[dunkalunk]

I understand that the route is fantasy, but unless the DRL were to terminate at Spadina, I have to wonder what the point of putting a GO station so close to Union would be, particularly if the DRL were to intersect GO at Liberty Village, Roncesvalles, ect.

 

[CDL.TO]

I agree that a Wellington alignment is the best option and the article does a good job of laying out why. The real fool with regards to this article is the city as a whole... it drives home that DRL planning is still working on answering questions that should have been sorted out years ago!

The Wellington alignment serves the Financial Core extremely well, while still being close to offer walking-distance service to Southcore and all the big attractions (ACC, MTCC, SkyDome). Something that wasn't so focussed on those trip generators with heavy peaks seems like a good idea, but it is those heavy peaks that overwhelm the Yonge line and can best utilize the relief.

The article downplays the importance of serving Union. I disagree (sort of). Union will still be the hub of the network, express and intercity trains aren't likely going to serve those extra DRL connections at the Don River or elsewhere, not all GO lines will intersect the DRL, and buses at the Union bus terminal aren't going to make connections elsewhere. That said, I think a Wellington alignment DOES serve Union. The walk from Wellington to Front is only 170m (about 2 minutes). I've walked longer making train connections before... I'm sure the walk from Bonaventure station to Gare Centrale in Montreal is longer!

The TTC has said they need to rebuild the Union station streetcar loop. This raises the question: if the DRL goes along Wellington should the loop be rebuilt NORTH of Front Street, to provide a connection to the DRL?

Overall, as much sense as Wellington makes, it does make sense to assess the cost of the different corridors and weigh the benefits and costs. There is room in the Union Station Rail Corridor from the foot of Church St to about Eastern Ave. The Network 2011 DRL routing planned to utilize this corridor. It might not the as optimal, but if it's a fraction of the cost it should be considered.

 

[CDL.TO]

I understand that the route is fantasy, but unless the DRL were to terminate at Spadina, I have to wonder what the point of putting a GO station so close to Union would be, particularly if the DRL were to intersect GO at Liberty Village, Roncesvalles, ect.

The idea is that some lines would terminate at Spadina instead of Union, to free up track capacity at Union. This would, of course, make transfers between GO lines EXTREMELY difficult, requiring a subway ride to transfer.

That said, a GO station at Spadina could be a very good idea not for trains to terminate, but to stop at on the way to Union. Its proximity to Union is why it makes so much sense. Right now, Union is the only GO station that is within walking distance to jobs in the downtown core. With a station at Spadina, passengers heading to destinations west of John Street would use this station instead, relieving Union of thousands of daily passengers. In 2006 there were over 41,000 jobs in the area bounded by Bathurst-Queen-Simcoe-Front-John/Rees-Gardiner (and it's grown since then)! Construction of a station here would be difficult with the GO flyunder, but it could be well worth it.

 

[W. K. Lis]

What saddens me, is that the plans actually make sense. What if the powers-that-be actually presents such DRL recommendations?

Reminds me of an WWII incident where a fictional "Superman" story about an "atom-smasher" that happened BEFORE the first actual atom bomb was dropped. See this link for the story.

Apparently, the US government found out about the story, but were too late to stop the publication in 1945.

 

[Electrify]

You posted it at 12:00, April Fools is only for the morning!!!

The Wellington/Front connection going to Spadina works very well, and if costs become an issue, could be a potential terminal for the line. I would create a branch of the King car though to go down Spadina and meet the station, so that people don't have to transfer twice or walk a quarter mile north to King St to continue west.

 

[gweed123]

The TTC has said they need to rebuild the Union station streetcar loop. This raises the question: if the DRL goes along Wellington should the loop be rebuilt NORTH of Front Street, to provide a connection to the DRL?

I like that idea, assuming the DRL is built under Wellington. The end effect would be the Union TTC complex looking a lot like an H. The streetcar loop would also allow for a very efficient underground walkway between Union and the heart of the CBD.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

lucky for you it appears the western portion will be in phase one, at least metrolinx's version of phase one.

Really? I thought it was just Don Mills/Eglinton to Queen/King?

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Really? I thought it was just Don Mills/Eglinton to Queen/King?

I don't remeber Metrolinx ever committing to an alignment. But they do plan to spend somewhere around $8 billion on the DRL which is only $300 million less than the projected cost of the High Park-Downtown-Pape-Eglinton alignment. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole thing is built.

 

[dunkalunk]

The TTC has said they need to rebuild the Union station streetcar loop. This raises the question: if the DRL goes along Wellington should the loop be rebuilt NORTH of Front Street, to provide a connection to the DRL?

With the new streetcars which the TTC is purchasing, would it even be necessary to constuct a loop? I was under the impression that these vehicles coulld be run bi-directionally. If so, then then extending the streetcar could be as simple as constructing a centre platform.