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

[nfitz]

No doubt, though it's pretty weak as a talking point.

I'd think so. How many car drivers use Eglinton right at Yonge? I frequently drive Eglinton from Laird eastward to Kingston, and sometimes even westward to Bayview or even Mount Pleasant. And in the east I use it past Black Creek way out to Trafalgar. But I can't recall taking the car through Yonge ever. I'd think most of the usage there were the locals, and most seem to be behind this plan.

 

[ehlow]

I'd think so. How many car drivers use Eglinton right at Yonge? I frequently drive Eglinton from Laird eastward to Kingston, and sometimes even westward to Bayview or even Mount Pleasant. And in the east I use it past Black Creek way out to Trafalgar. But I can't recall taking the car through Yonge ever. I'd think most of the usage there were the locals, and most seem to be behind this plan.

Agreed. I think most people going to Yonge-Eg use transit or walk. It's not a very easy or cheap place to park either.

I drive Eglinton if I'm going east into Scarborough (although I may have to find an alternate route). Going west I'd rather go up to Lawrence.

 

[GenerationW]

No the point is the province is the one who ultimately holds the purse strings and could have done something then. Miller has been gone for nearly 5 years. It's time to build and stop the talking.

You still don't get it. The position of the McGuinty government was consistent regarding that $8 billion: nothing would be done without council approval. Council was given an unprecedented opportunity to build transit, and couldn't make up its mind. The province can be faulted for delays, but not for deciding what to build.

Now we'll see how the Wynne government deals with council when the next $15 billion is spent. I suspect they'll take a firmer hand if council dithers.

Motion results for Eglinton Connects, from this link:

Jaye Robinson voted against it? Did rich condo owners buy this vote from her like they did with that useless Leslie LRT stop?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

You still don't get it. The position of the McGuinty government was consistent regarding that $8 billion: nothing would be done without council approval. Council was given an unprecedented opportunity to build transit, and couldn't make up its mind. The province can be faulted for delays, but not for deciding what to build.

Now we'll see how the Wynne government deals with council when the next $15 billion is spent. I suspect they'll take a firmer hand if council dithers.


Jaye Robinson voted against it? Did rich condo owners buy this vote from her like they did with that useless Leslie LRT stop?

So transit city was just a big joke then?

 

[salsa]

The position of the McGuinty government was consistent regarding that $8 billion: nothing would be done without council approval. Council was given an unprecedented opportunity to build transit, and couldn't make up its mind. The province can be faulted for delays, but not for deciding what to build.

City council said loud and clear that they want the Finch and Sheppard LRTs, so what the hell are the liberals waiting for?

 

[rbt]

City council said loud and clear that they want the Finch and Sheppard LRTs, so what the hell are the liberals waiting for?

Money mostly. Eglinton was prioritized as it was the only piece everybody agreed on in 2010 and has used most of the short-term funding available since then. Eglinton completion got accelerated a couple of years over the initial TTC timeline and Finch/Sheppard start 2nd/3rd rather than 1st/3rd.

The low revenue growth for Ontario hasn't helped at all the last couple of years.

Good news is that revenue forecasts for the province are relatively good for the next few years so there will be fewer restrictions going forward even with the deficit battle going on. The federal government may also be a little more friendly with infrastructure funding after 2016.

A hard recession could still cause massive delays though.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Jaye Robinson voted against Eglinton Connects?

That is a surprise. I really really want to hear her reasoning about that.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

City council said loud and clear that they want the Finch and Sheppard LRTs, so what the hell are the liberals waiting for?

They could have started building both in 2012. Maybe GenerationW has a point? Sheppard imo is still a question mark, I feel it will be reopened depending on who wins and the opposition to it by some residents, the Ford and other Councillors is clear.

 

[GenerationW]

So transit city was just a big joke then?

After Rob Ford got through with it? Pretty much.

 

[ehlow]

I asked the Crosstown team about a connection to the UPX at Mt Dennis station:

When completed, the Union-Pearson (UP) Express will have stops at Union Station, Bloor GO Station/Dundas West TTC Station, Weston GO Station and Pearson Airport. The stations take advantage of current GO station infrastructure at the Bloor and Weston locations. Mount Dennis, at this time, does not have existing GO station infrastructure that can be modified to fit an UP Express station. There are no expected additions to the Union-Pearson Express route. Discussion has focused on creating an additional station at Mount Dennis, as you described, to have riders who will use the Crosstown link to the UP Express. In the future, a potential Mount Dennis station may be considered but it is too early to speculate when this may happen, or even if it will happen. If you have any further questions about the UP Express service, please contact the UP Express team directly.

 

[nfitz]

I asked the Crosstown team about a connection to the UPX at Mt Dennis station:

They are certainly going to be be very careful what they say about what has been a very controversial project until after it's and operating for a while, given that the Egilnton line won't (at best) open until 5 years after the Union-Pearson line.

But if you dig into what they've said previously, they have discussed the possibility of a Union-Pearson station.

Their comment that "does not have existing GO station infrastructure that can be modified to fit an UP Express station". What interesting working! No, there is no existing GO station infrastrucutre at all, ergo it can't be modified. However Metrolinx has previously stated the future GO Infrastructure to be built at Mount Dennis will be designed so it could be converted.

If you look in the August 2013 Metrolinx Mount Dennis Mobility Hub Study - http://www.thecrosstown.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/reports/mountdennismobilityhubstudyfinal.pdf and to page 10 (page 20 of the PDF) it clearly says that:

GO Transit anticipates that the new platforms will open with Mount Dennis Station in 2020. The platforms are being designed to accommodate UP Express trains in the future.​

 

[ehlow]

Yeah, if they added a UPX stop at Eg-Weston, then it provides faster access to the airport for those along Eglinton and makes the Eglinton LRT even more useful. This makes sense given that it's a "mobility hub" and there will already be a connection to GO.

If they do so however, would they keep the stop at Lawrence-Weston since it's fairly close?

But yeah it's way too soon to discuss this I guess.

 

[sixrings]

If they do so however, would they keep the stop at Lawrence-Weston since it's fairly close?

.

Unless they change the UPX to a western DRL I believe the Lawrence Weston station is history since the only way to keep it express and have a Eglinton station is by removing Lawrence. If that wasn't the plan then why not just say they are going to add Eglinton. Instead they are going to just have a Lawrence stop. When Lawrence provides pathetic numbers they will drop the station and build a Eglinton connection which makes more sense to begin with. Sometimes the whole thing is managing peoples tempers in announcing things.

 

[nfitz]

If they do so however, would they keep the stop at Lawrence-Weston since it's fairly close?

That's the million-dollar question. The answer would likely be based on what the ridership is between Weston and Pearson in 2016. And that's going to be a function of the fare policy. I've always scratched my head on why there would be much demand for a premium service from Weston to Pearson - particularly given that there's a frequent local TTC bus direct to Pearson from Weston and Lawrence along Dixon Road, right to the front door of the terminal.

 

[howl]

That's the million-dollar question. The answer would likely be based on what the ridership is between Weston and Pearson in 2016. And that's going to be a function of the fare policy. I've always scratched my head on why there would be much demand for a premium service from Weston to Pearson - particularly given that there's a frequent local TTC bus direct to Pearson from Weston and Lawrence along Dixon Road, right to the front door of the terminal.

If I recall the people of Weston complained bitterly about the reconstruction of the GO/UPX line in their neighbourhood with no direct benefit for them - so GO agreed to give them a UPX station in addition to their GO station. I suspect in a year or so when it turns out no one ever uses the UPX station at Weston it will be closed and moved to Eglinton. They just can't say that yet.