Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[BMO]

In news

Moving Forward On The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown
June 21, 2011

McGuinty Government Making Public Transit Better, Creating Tens Of Thousands Of Jobs
A new community office opening today will help local residents stay informed of progress on the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT).

The office will provide residents with up-to-date information on construction of the LRT, scheduled to start this summer. Residents can find out more by:

Visiting the centre located at 1848 Eglinton Avenue West, Monday through Friday
E-mailing eglintontransit@ttc.ca
Calling 416-338-6310 or TTY 416-481-2523
Visiting the website at www.crosstown.ttc.ca.
The LRT will be a single line running about 25 kilometres from Black Creek Drive to Scarborough Centre. With up to 26 stops, the line will be mostly underground from Black Creek to Kennedy, then partially elevated from Kennedy to the Scarborough Centre. The new line is expected to be in service in 2020 and create tens of thousands of jobs.

Investing in Ontario's roads, highways, transit, hospitals and schools is part of the government's plan to create jobs, grow local economies and ensure the province remains strong and competitive for years to come.

QUOTES
"Our government is moving forward with the largest transit investment in a generation to get the region moving. The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT will give commuters a new east to west link across Toronto and will connect them to the Yonge-University-Spadina and Bloor-Danforth subway, TTC buses and the GO Transit network."

– Kathleen Wynne
Minister of Transportation

"This is great news. The new community office will provide residents with information about the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown transit project. Our government is committed to making public transit better for Ontario families."

– Mike Colle
Eglinton-Lawrence MPP

"The Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown LRT is a priority project for Metrolinx that will take the next few years to complete. The addition of a community site office allows us to open and maintain an ongoing dialogue with the community. It provides an opportunity to keep people informed about the project and how the service will transform the way the region moves once it is complete."

– Bruce McCuaig
President and CEO, Metrolinx

"The Crosstown Community Office symbolizes TTC's renewed commitment to excellence in customer service and community relations. By providing accessible, pro-active communication to the community, we are taking the first step to ensure that the implementation of the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown is a success."

– Karen Stintz
TTC Chair

QUICK FACTS
The community office hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Thursday 12 p.m.-8 p.m
Ontario, through Metrolinx, will be responsible for building the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Light Rail Transit. The Province is investing $8.2 billion to build the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown.

 

[sixrings]

I was at the meeting today... Someone asked what type of development they expect to see surrounding the line... The response from Cole and kintz (could be spelling that wrong) and wynn was that they want to see mid rise only being built... The question I would like to ask is what is considered mid rise? In the past 25 floors was considered a high rise. But now we are building 50-70 floors! And is it really believable that we will only see 15 floor buildings along Eglinton. St Clair at Bathurst has seen 2 25floor buildings get built since the ROW was put in and there are applications for at least another 4-6 30 floor buildings in the area. I can believe between Yonge and Allen 15 floors might work since developers will be able to charge a ton for those condos but west of the ALLEN I dont see that possibility at all.. Dufferin and Eglinton behind the dollar store has a huge parking lot which looks ready for some redevelopment as does the rexall across the street and the mitsubishi dealership... Caledonia has that HUGE parking lot which is for a grocery store and a Canadian tire... Does 15 floors really make sense in these areas? Id argue they need more density to make up for the lack of care the area has had over the last 20 years.... Why would Eglinton see development different then Sheppard and Bayview or Sheppard and leslie? Or is this just politicans not trying to get the immediate neighbourhood upset until they have to.

On another note, someone asked about the ALLEN... and a response from JOSH COLE was that when they build the TUNNEL for the station at Eglinton WEST, there will be an oppertunity to build a Tunneled north bound on ramp at the same time!!!

 

[gweed123]

On another note, someone asked about the ALLEN... and a response from JOSH COLE was that when they build the TUNNEL for the station at Eglinton WEST, there will be an oppertunity to build a Tunneled north bound on ramp at the same time!!!

You mean an eastbound to northbound ramp to access the Allen from Eglinton? Did they mention anything about a southbound to eastbound ramp at all?

 

[sixrings]

Correct a Eastbound to Northbound ramp... Would it even be possible to have two underground ramps crossing eachother.. That sounds impossible to construct. At least I cant vision it... The topic was the congestion on Eglinton from Bathurst to Dufferin. There didnt seem to be much concern to the traffic flowing down the allen... It does seem to make more sense to fix the flow of traffic on eglinton. Eglinton is where people have to walk and shop and where the redevelopment occurs... If its gridlock on Eglinton it affects the pedestrian atmosphere. However if there is gridlock on the south bound allen it just makes people on the TTC shake their heads at the cars... In short there is more motivation to fix the eglinton mess then there is to fix the allen mess...

 

[sixrings]

It should be noted that going westbound towards the allen two lanes in the future will turn onto the allen and only one lane will be for through eglinton traffic... This was outlined in a MIKe COle newsletter...

 

[gweed123]

Correct a Eastbound to Northbound ramp... Would it even be possible to have two underground ramps crossing eachother.. That sounds impossible to construct. At least I cant vision it... The topic was the congestion on Eglinton from Bathurst to Dufferin. There didnt seem to be much concern to the traffic flowing down the allen... It does seem to make more sense to fix the flow of traffic on eglinton. Eglinton is where people have to walk and shop and where the redevelopment occurs... If its gridlock on Eglinton it affects the pedestrian atmosphere. However if there is gridlock on the south bound allen it just makes people on the TTC shake their heads at the cars... In short there is more motivation to fix the eglinton mess then there is to fix the allen mess...

I can totally understand why the eastbound to northbound turn is the priority. Cars queueing on the Allen isn't a big deal, cars queueing on Eglinton is. I was just curious if they had plans to fix both problems or not.

 

[sixrings]

Truthfully I think Mike Cole and Josh Cole would get rid of the ALLEN altogether if they could. They both seem to think along the lines of moscow that it was a mistake and should be filled in... Now Im just assuming that from off comments here or there that were sarcastic towards the allen... As a result I think both are trying to figure out how to help their communities, which includes traffic, but at the same time not encouraging the allen either... I would like to see where the tunnel would begin. West of the synagogue? West of the Police station? Or right at the traffic light? Also will cars be able to turn left onto streets such as Atlas? and will cars be able to make the turn out of atlas and still have enough room to merge into this tunnel... So this could get quite interesting... But again I think they are underestimating the heights of new development when we head further west of Marlee...

 

[junctionist]

It should be noted that going westbound towards the allen two lanes in the future will turn onto the allen and only one lane will be for through eglinton traffic... This was outlined in a MIKe COle newsletter...

I hope they figure out how not to make that configuration a death trap for cyclists. I'm thinking of the way Spadina has two southbound lanes that turn into the Gardiner leaving the cyclist scrambling to cross two busy lanes. The issue can't be ignored.

 

[whatever]

That's a pretty simple fix. Put up a signalized intersection and put in a right-turn signal. If cars have the signal cyclists and pedestrians wait at the curb. If cars don't have the signal cyclists and pedestrians can go through. Same thing they have going on at Jarvis/Gardiner now. And I suppose O'Conner/Don Mills also has one like that. It being two lanes doesn't really matter, it's just the problem of lots of right-turning cars in the curb lane.

 

[sixrings]

We don't have to cut a station. It's not written in stone that there can be no more than 26 stations - it was a throw-away line based on a 25-km line and 1-km spacings..

Just one last thing I like to mention.... it was mentioned at least twice today that it was "up to 26 stations." I dont think it sounded like a "throw-away line" at all.. Instead it sounded like this is how much money we have and we are going to have to make some serious decisions where stops would be. In fact they said repeatedly thats what alot of the community meetings would be about, deciding where the stops should be.

 

[nfitz]

Just one last thing I like to mention.... it was mentioned at least twice today that it was "up to 26 stations." I dont think it sounded like a "throw-away line" at all.

That sounds exactly like a throw-away line. I assume that's Stintz or Wynne speaking again ... they are redoing the same presentation over and over again, so presumably they have the same old talking points - and slide 13 clearly says up to 26 stations ... so the talking heads say "up to 26 stations".

Instead it sounded like this is how much money we have and we are going to have to make some serious decisions where stops would be. In fact they said repeatedly thats what alot of the community meetings would be about, deciding where the stops should be.

I doubt very much it's money driving this ... 26 vs 27 stops isn't going to break the bank. I doubt they need more than 26 stops ... unless they add Brimley and Bellamy and Jane.

I just wouldn't read too much into what is likely only high-level briefing notes.

 

[sixrings]

Well I see making it to JANE a priority... Surely others must feel the same way.... Black creek a terminal point?????/ Really?? They could have 3 stations in extremely close proximity, JAnE, weston, black creek,,, does that make sense??????? If I could only have two stops Id eliminate Black creek and move the rec centre to the jane site...

 

[Thoughtless Miscreant]

That sounds exactly like a throw-away line. I assume that's Stintz or Wynne speaking again ... they are redoing the same presentation over and over again, so presumably they have the same old talking points - and slide 13 clearly says up to 26 stations ... so the talking heads say "up to 26 stations".

Well put it another way, when has a transit line ever been built with MORE than initially promised? When they're pushing these things they always show the best possible configuration to people. Then once as the project continues the ends start getting lopped off and the stations get taken out.

 

[Eug]

I was at the meeting today... Someone asked what type of development they expect to see surrounding the line... The response from Cole and kintz (could be spelling that wrong) and wynn was that they want to see mid rise only being built... The question I would like to ask is what is considered mid rise? In the past 25 floors was considered a high rise. But now we are building 50-70 floors! And is it really believable that we will only see 15 floor buildings along Eglinton. St Clair at Bathurst has seen 2 25floor buildings get built since the ROW was put in and there are applications for at least another 4-6 30 floor buildings in the area. I can believe between Yonge and Allen 15 floors might work since developers will be able to charge a ton for those condos but west of the ALLEN I dont see that possibility at all.. Dufferin and Eglinton behind the dollar store has a huge parking lot which looks ready for some redevelopment as does the rexall across the street and the mitsubishi dealership... Caledonia has that HUGE parking lot which is for a grocery store and a Canadian tire... Does 15 floors really make sense in these areas? Id argue they need more density to make up for the lack of care the area has had over the last 20 years.... Why would Eglinton see development different then Sheppard and Bayview or Sheppard and leslie? Or is this just politicans not trying to get the immediate neighbourhood upset until they have to.

Personally, I don't see any problem with building high-rises in some areas adjacent to the line. However, in other areas, high rises are probably inappropriate. It has to be tailored to the neighbourhood of course. I'm just glad they're not pandering to those who think only low rises are acceptable.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I was at the presentation at the Beth Sholom Synagogue near the Eglinton West station. To save on money there were no signs outside the venue and no signs at the entrance. If one was walking by looking you wouldn't know unless you tested each and every door. The entrance was on the west side of the building but every door was locked except for one.