Eglinton East LRT | Metrolinx

[sixrings]

Well maybe Eglinton east would get bigger numbers but the east is getting a relief line and a Scarborough subway. How much more funds does the one side of the city need to monopolize. From a completely bias perspective Eglinton west should go first.

 

[OneCity]

Best part is there will no longer be any foolish geographical local politics interfering with other areas to 'prioritize' specific areas or cut corners on others.

We can now build the network of various needs extensively thru-out this massive City on a similar time-line.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Well maybe Eglinton east would get bigger numbers but the east is getting a relief line and a Scarborough subway. How much more funds does the one side of the city need to monopolize. From a completely bias perspective Eglinton west should go first.

Meh. The Western bit still has dubious ridership and development potential, while the airport will be connected through Mt Dennis Station via the UPX.

Forgetting politics, prioritizing the East still makes more sense here from a ridership, connectivity, and opportunities perspective. Let's not delay the opportunity to redevelop the entirety of Eglinton from Kennedy to Kingston.

 

[am29]

Well maybe Eglinton east would get bigger numbers but the east is getting a relief line and a Scarborough subway. How much more funds does the one side of the city need to monopolize. From a completely bias perspective Eglinton west should go first.

Thoughts like these are what gets no transit built in the city

 

[salsa]

Thoughts like these are what gets no transit built in the city

I'm pretty sure the reality is more complicated than that.

 

[BurlOak]

Well maybe Eglinton east would get bigger numbers but the east is getting a relief line and a Scarborough subway. How much more funds does the one side of the city need to monopolize. From a completely bias perspective Eglinton west should go first.

Eglinton maybe should go first because it is likely the easiest. There are no arguments with the route and not arguments that it must be grade-separated. Put a small team on it and they could likely have construction started before the next election.

 

[sixrings]

Eglinton maybe should go first because it is likely the easiest. There are no arguments with the route and not arguments that it must be grade-separated. Put a small team on it and they could likely have construction started before the next election.

I can accept that logic

 

[BurlOak]

I can accept that logic

Oops, I had a bad typo.

Eglinton maybe should go first because it is likely the easiest. There are no arguments with the route and no arguments against grade-separated. Put a small team on it and they could likely have construction started before the next election.

 

[OneCity]

Thoughts like these are what gets no transit built in the city

Thankfully, the 'small world' City politics have been completely removed from influencing transit planning and the entire City can move on not only extensively but more importantly with attention to detail that was constantly under attack for any territorial gains

 

[44 North]

Eglinton maybe should go first because it is likely the easiest. There are no arguments with the route and not arguments that it must be grade-separated. Put a small team on it and they could likely have construction started before the next election.

I'd argue that it shouldn't be grade-separated.

Now hear me out. I would've liked for it to have been grade-separated, so long as the Laird to Kennedy section was grade-separated too. This would've been a decision in the previous decade, or during the MOU. With that we'd no longer be building an LRT line. It'd be a subway, and we could do away with the whole overweight low-floor LRV situation. It'd be sleek 75-100m trains. Scarb Ctr to Pearson all automated. Now deciding to have the Mt Dennis to Pearson section grade-separated, and particularly tunneling under much of an expressway corridor, doesn't add up when we'll have trains along Leslie to Kennedy stopping at every intersection. We're past the point of not having the Crosstown be an LRT line, so let's just continue with what was planned. Largely tram-style to Renforth or Pearson will still be super awesome.

As for the portion east of Kennedy being realized, that's a bet I wouldn't put money on personally. Not to say it doesn't have enormous merit and shouldn't be built. But I think it'll be way costlier, complex, and contentious than many realize. And that's even when mentally excluding the section past UTSC and turning toward Malvern, which I def don't see happening.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Let's go full-steam ahead with the background work for Eglinton East in the meantime. I am still confident public opinion will change on LRT with the opening of the main section of Eglinton.

Eglinton East doesn't need grade-separation as it will dump its passengers at Kennedy Station. The ROW will be sufficient for the ridership of this part of the line. Hell, our streetcar lines handle more without even a ROW.

 

[OneCity]

Let's go full-steam ahead with the background work for Eglinton East in the meantime. I am still confident public opinion will change on LRT with the opening of the main section of Eglinton.

Eglinton East doesn't need grade-separation as it will dump its passengers at Kennedy Station. The ROW will be sufficient for the ridership of this part of the line. Hell, our streetcar lines handle more without even a ROW.

I really don't think you see much tangible opposition at all to bringing this line to the priority areas in East and N-East Scarborough and connecting to UTSC. Although most likely don't realize they are losing a couple car lane which will surely see some angry voices at some point (i don't disagree to some extent). The line is not perfect but its going to be as good as it ever will be with a couple key grade separated intersections and when you weigh the overall benefits It is much needed. The bigger issue in the past was the transfers and not completing the subway(s) to the Centre. That direction has pretty much been addressed poltically from all Provincial parties and local councillors. Scarborough Village, Kingston-Galloway, and Malvern residents will really benefit the most from this line both optically for the area and improved ,so im excited to see it being pushed forward.

 

[CapitalSeven]

Oops, I had a bad typo.

Eglinton maybe should go first because it is likely the easiest. There are no arguments with the route and no arguments against grade-separated. Put a small team on it and they could likely have construction started before the next election.

Just idiotically saying there are no arguments against grade separation does not make the cost arguments disappear. Doug Ford is largely throwing around imaginary money that may well disappear when it comes time to actually spend.

 

[BurlOak]

I'd argue that it shouldn't be grade-separated.

Now hear me out. I would've liked for it to have been grade-separated, so long as the Laird to Kennedy section was grade-separated too. This would've been a decision in the previous decade, or during the MOU. With that we'd no longer be building an LRT line. It'd be a subway, and we could do away with the whole overweight low-floor LRV situation. It'd be sleek 75-100m trains. Scarb Ctr to Pearson all automated. Now deciding to have the Mt Dennis to Pearson section grade-separated, and particularly tunneling under much of an expressway corridor, doesn't add up when we'll have trains along Leslie to Kennedy stopping at every intersection. We're past the point of not having the Crosstown be an LRT line, so let's just continue with what was planned. Largely tram-style to Renforth or Pearson will still be super awesome.

As for the portion east of Kennedy being realized, that's a bet I wouldn't put money on personally. Not to say it doesn't have enormous merit and shouldn't be built. But I think it'll be way costlier, complex, and contentious than many realize. And that's even when mentally excluding the section past UTSC and turning toward Malvern, which I def don't see happening.

That's a valid point the since the East part from Laird to Kennedy has been screwed up, there is no sense in doing the West right.
but as has been said, Eglinton is a pretty long line. I could see 1 portion being YYZ to Laird, and another portion being from Kennedy to Eglinton West. With this arrangement, it would make sense to do the West right.
Also, when we notice the mistake we made, the only correction required will be in the East end. A few stolen vehicles driven into the portal will likely turn people off this line just like St. Clair.

 

[Coolstar]

That's a valid point the since the East part from Laird to Kennedy has been screwed up, there is no sense in doing the West right.
but as has been said, Eglinton is a pretty long line. I could see 1 portion being YYZ to Laird, and another portion being from Kennedy to Eglinton West. With this arrangement, it would make sense to do the West right.
Also, when we notice the mistake we made, the only correction required will be in the East end. A few stolen vehicles driven into the portal will likely turn people off this line just like St. Clair.

Another good portion can be Malvern Town Centre to Mount Dennis and Kennedy to Pearson.