Toronto Eglinton Line 5 | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[salsa]

I saw that when the report was released. I don't understand that at all. How could they manage to negotiate that new transit infrastructure to be built by the city would be owned by Metrolinx? Unbelievable. They're really tying to screw us.

Toronto, don't say you weren't warned about SmartTrack.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Will Torontonians lean their lesson? Nope.

 

[rbt]

What really brothers me is having TO put money in Metrolinx' pot for transit. For Eglinton West, would TO even have a choice for a certain contractor or have TTC do some of the jobs in house or do TO have to pay ML whatever they decide with P3's. Probably better off with a P3 after all the delays with TYSSE but it would be nice if they have a choice for how the money is spent.

Choice almost always comes with responsibility; specifically the responsibility to cover any additional unexpected costs.

If the city gets a choice in vendor, then the city will be responsible to any additional fees if that vendor doesn't work out for whatever reason (massive strike, acts of god, new legislation that impacts construction technique, etc.). There are plenty of reasons why even a fixed-price P3 contract might increase in cost (incorrect specification or change in design being the big one).

Honestly, it's better to have Metrolinx decide the vendor and take responsibility for any unexpected costs.

 

[muller877]

TO is on the hook for all the past GO Transit debt for system repairs that didn't benefit 99% of Torontoians. .

Toronto receives the benefit of a huge commercial and retail tax base because of GO. So we have received a huge benefit (in the form of wads of cash from each office tower in the financial district). Does it not make sense that we have to figure out how to get these workers downtown so we can collect the taxes on the towers?

Or would you suggest taxation without services (we already have taxation without representation)

Think of it in another way. If GO stopped delivering 100,000+ people per day to the downtown core we would have to fund at least 1 new subway (probably 2) to meet the morning and afternoon rush. Even funding 1/3 of each of these lines (capex and opex) would be a lot lower than the GO funding.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Toronto receives the benefit of a huge commercial and retail tax base because of GO. So we have received a huge benefit (in the form of wads of cash from each office tower in the financial district). Does it not make sense that we have to figure out how to get these workers downtown so we can collect the taxes on the towers?

I've heard the argument made that GO Transit, including RER, subsidizes and encourages sprawl, which hurts the City of Toronto and our tax base, in addition to all other various negative impacts of sprawl. I don't know if I agree with that, but it's not as easy as no GO Transit = 100,000 less workers downtown. For all we know, those 100,000 might've chosen to relocate somewhere in the City of Toronto.

 

[rbt]

I've heard the argument made that GO Transit, including RER, subsidizes and encourages sprawl, which hurts the City of Toronto and our tax base, in addition to all other various negative impacts of sprawl. I don't know if I agree with that, but it's not as easy as no GO Transit = 100,000 less workers downtown. For all we know, those 100,000 might've chosen to relocate somewhere in the City of Toronto.

The true answer will be somewhere in between.

Yes, some residents would choose to live in the city to continue working in the city. It's also true that some businesses would choose to relocate outside the downtown area (particularly the ones that recently moved into the core from suburban highway accessible locations). I wouldn't be surprised if RER was a net gain; where commercial revenue - expenses is larger than the residential revenue - expenses.

One thing we do know is that without GO Transit (and Union Station) the Financial District and South Core probably wouldn't be located where they are today. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this alternative-universe GTA centered around Yonge & Bloor with Yorkville being almost entirely office buildings.

 

[muller877]

I've heard the argument made that GO Transit, including RER, subsidizes and encourages sprawl, which hurts the City of Toronto and our tax base, in addition to all other various negative impacts of sprawl. I don't know if I agree with that, but it's not as easy as no GO Transit = 100,000 less workers downtown. For all we know, those 100,000 might've chosen to relocate somewhere in the City of Toronto.

More likely that the commercial buildings would be built outside the city core in office parks (e.g. just south of the airport in 'Sauga). Which would be even worse for transit.

 

[Steve X]

Toronto receives the benefit of a huge commercial and retail tax base because of GO. So we have received a huge benefit (in the form of wads of cash from each office tower in the financial district). Does it not make sense that we have to figure out how to get these workers downtown so we can collect the taxes on the towers?

Or would you suggest taxation without services (we already have taxation without representation)

Think of it in another way. If GO stopped delivering 100,000+ people per day to the downtown core we would have to fund at least 1 new subway (probably 2) to meet the morning and afternoon rush. Even funding 1/3 of each of these lines (capex and opex) would be a lot lower than the GO funding.

It could help diversify commercial builds around the city without all the GO Train traffic to single downtown core. Yes having towers downtown helps Toronto's economy but it also fills all the subway trains and city sidewalks that TO is having trouble keeping up.

I'm not saying TO core shouldn't be developed but a slower development pace and spreading development to other parts of the city would help our transit system to keep up. Mississauga, STC and North York Centre could grow more without GO Train's existence at Union.

 

[Tuscani01]

Traffic on Don Mills has been shifted East in advance of construction of Science Centre Station. Traffic is an absolute disaster. The HOV lanes have also been removed from the construction zone, so buses are stuck in the same traffic.

 

[Steve X]

Traffic on Don Mills has been shifted East in advance of construction of Science Centre Station. Traffic is an absolute disaster. The HOV lanes have also been removed from the construction zone, so buses are stuck in the same traffic.

It will be worst when they start surface track construction with the entire eg east cut to single lanes. It would be interesting to see how they stage it.

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

It will be worst when they start surface track construction with the entire eg east cut to single lanes. It would be interesting to see how they stage it.

Stop the Yonge Street construction now! How can we get to Eaton's and Simpson's if they dig up the whole street?

 

[TheTigerMaster]

It will be worst when they start surface track construction with the entire eg east cut to single lanes. It would be interesting to see how they stage it.

Shush. You'll take the noise with a smile.

 

[Steve X]

Stop the Yonge Street construction now! How can we get to Eaton's and Simpson's if they dig up the whole street?

It would be nice if they can do things like this again but back in the 1950s, there isn't so many cars plus Bay, Victoria and Church is very close unlike the suburbs.

 

[Red October]

Stop the Yonge Street construction now! How can we get to Eaton's and Simpson's if they dig up the whole street?

Luckily subway construction (unlike LRT construction) doesn't tear up lanes of traffic on the roads.


/s

 

[SaugeenJunction]

Video on the Line 5 extension (Eglinton East LRT) to U of T Scarborough. I'm happy to see Toronto planning extensions to lines that aren't even done yet.

Also posted on City website: http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=78bddff58f3e4510VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD