Dufferin Street: Eliminating the jog

[jcam]

When they built the underpass road, they built the concrete box that would support the Dufferin line going north of Queen and fill the hole in with asphalt. When time came to build the line, asphalt is remove and tracks place in the hole. the ends would be remove to allow track to continue in both direction. I have photos of this track protection in the centre lane, but for some reason most of the photos I shoot for the construction of the underpass are missing in my Flickr account. No idea what the time frame is for when I shot the track base.

My impression at the time, there would be no northbound switch work due to location. The Queen line would see a diamond added if the line surface.

The idea that was around at the time, was the Dufferin line would go to Dupont and loop there. Now if TTC had duel end cars, no need for expensive loop and having the line stop at Bloor.

They should protect for a loop using the new streets through the Freed re-development on the corner of Dupont and Dufferin.

 

[ShonTron]

They should protect for a loop using the new streets through the Freed re-development on the corner of Dupont and Dufferin.

No, they shouldn't. A Dufferin Streetcar might be appealing to rail nuts and transit fans, but it doesn't make much sense, especially one from Exhibition to Dupont. Where would you loop the Dufferin buses? What about through passengers not headed to the subway? Anyway, the TTC isn't interested in operating new streetcar lines in mixed traffic.

But building tracks on Dufferin to Dundas has some merit for Dundas-Exhibition services during special events (CNE, TFC matches, concerts, Royal Winter Fair, Caribana).

 

[sureshot]

I've always thought that Dufferin could use some kind of higher order transit. At minimum a Streetcar up to St. Clair or even Eglinton, so link up with the LRT line?

 

[ShonTron]

I've always thought that Dufferin could use some kind of higher order transit. At minimum a Streetcar up to St. Clair or even Eglinton, so link up with the LRT line?

A streetcar, on its own, is not higher-order transit, no more than a bus is. Spadina is an enhanced streetcar, as it runs in its own right-of-way, but even that isn't really higher-order transit. There are many bigger things to focus on than a Dufferin streetcar. Improve the bus service -- all door boarding and optimizing bus stop locations would be a good place to start.

 

[W. K. Lis]

I find it interesting that Dufferin Street is considered a "high-order" route now. The 29 Dufferin only came into being by 1954, see link. And then only getting as far south as Eglinton Avenue.

 

[M II A II R II K]

It is doubtful that any new mixed traffic streetcar routes will ever be implemented.

Ideally Dufferin could get a TC line that runs underground to Fairbank Station and in the middle of the road north from there, but no ones going to pay for that.

 

[smuncky]

Announcement for the bridge construction and Railpath extension.

https://twitter.com/McAllister_Mark/status/764097411472056321

https://twitter.com/McAllister_Mark/status/764099239123255298

 

[leopetr]

Is that a suicide barrier? It seems a little unnecessary given the low height of the bridge.

 

[ShonTron]

Is that a suicide barrier? It seems a little unnecessary given the low height of the bridge.

More likely a sound barrier.

 

[P23]

More likely a sound barrier.

I think you can see a plexi sound barrier behind that though? Between the railpath and the tracks.

 

[smuncky]

I think you can see a plexi sound barrier behind that though? Between the railpath and the tracks.

That's the south barrier of the railpath. You can see the same ones along the Railpath already installed. The metal mesh (north side), looks like a beautification gesture.

 

[smably]

Great news, but I have so many questions. What's the funding arrangement? What's the timeline? Is the province going to have a hand in planning this? Is the existing city-led design getting built?

 

[innsertnamehere]

for the bridge widening, its a provincial project. Metrolinx has already procured it and construction has begun.

For the railpath itself, I imagine it would be in the form of a grant from the province to the city to construct, given that the city is the one that performed the EA.

 

[smuncky]

From the final design report.

http://www1.toronto.ca/City Of Toro...Report/WTR_ESR_Appendix_J_FunctionalPlans.pdf

 

[nfitz]

It is doubtful that any new mixed traffic streetcar routes will ever be implemented.

There was a new one a few weeks ago, with the 514 service along Dufferin Street - the first time there's ever been any regular year-round streetcar service along there, as far as I know.

And there's also the new mixed traffic tracks down Leslie.