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Suicidal Gingerbread Man
Guest
The Front Street extension is absolutely essential if the city has any hopes of dismantling the Gardiner.
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unimaginative2
Guest
I completely agree. David Miller's taking exactly the right position on this issue: build it, but only if the Gardiner's coming down.
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bizorky
Guest
Trouble is that this expensive road is being argued as a first step for tearing down a highway that is claimed to be too expensive to tear down.
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calimehtar
Guest
Parkdale candidates
I'm in Parkdale - I looked and couldn't find any candidates willing to support the Front Street Extension. Honestly I don't care too much either way- I appreciate the need for the extension, but it won't kill me if it's not built. But it seems too cheap for a politician to oppose it - just run-of-the-mill NIMBY-ism, and an obvious no-effort way of wining votes. If anyone can point me to a candidate who either supports or doesn't oppose the position, I'll seriously consider voting for them.
An aside, Peter Milczyc, the candidate for Etobicoke-Lakeshore just west of here, has a creative suggestion to use existing rail lines for a subway extension to the Bloor-Danforth line west spacing.ca/wire/?p=1139.
I've often wondered why they couldn't run some light rail on existing lines (there are two) that go from Parkdale to Union Station. Traffic on teh King Streetcar during rush hour is crazy and can only get worse, seems like the existing transportation routes should be enough to handle the load - the rail line that crosses Queen at Dufferin seems get about a train an hour.
I'm in Parkdale - I looked and couldn't find any candidates willing to support the Front Street Extension. Honestly I don't care too much either way- I appreciate the need for the extension, but it won't kill me if it's not built. But it seems too cheap for a politician to oppose it - just run-of-the-mill NIMBY-ism, and an obvious no-effort way of wining votes. If anyone can point me to a candidate who either supports or doesn't oppose the position, I'll seriously consider voting for them.
An aside, Peter Milczyc, the candidate for Etobicoke-Lakeshore just west of here, has a creative suggestion to use existing rail lines for a subway extension to the Bloor-Danforth line west spacing.ca/wire/?p=1139.
I've often wondered why they couldn't run some light rail on existing lines (there are two) that go from Parkdale to Union Station. Traffic on teh King Streetcar during rush hour is crazy and can only get worse, seems like the existing transportation routes should be enough to handle the load - the rail line that crosses Queen at Dufferin seems get about a train an hour.
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Mark Dowling
Guest
Re: Parkdale candidates
if the line crosses any heavy rail service line en route to Union then light rail is out.
A unified GO-TTC transit farecard which lets me take a Lakeshore train from East York to Etobicoke or the B-D would be a huge step in integrating existing GO service into Toronto's transit network and relieve the TTC.
if the line crosses any heavy rail service line en route to Union then light rail is out.
A unified GO-TTC transit farecard which lets me take a Lakeshore train from East York to Etobicoke or the B-D would be a huge step in integrating existing GO service into Toronto's transit network and relieve the TTC.
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AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
From the Post:
Pantalone keeps Front plan alive
James Cowan, National Post
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone yesterday managed to keep the embattled Front Street extension project alive, at least for a while longer.
Toronto's budget committee voted on Friday to take $52-million earmarked for the extension and move it into a slush fund for other waterfront projects.
But Mr. Pantalone, an ardent proponent of the project, yesterday persuaded members of the executive committee to reverse the decision. Instead, he convinced his fellow councillors to wait until a determination is made on the Gardiner Expressway's future before rendering a verdict on Front Street.
"An intelligent debate on the transportation needs and the possible renewal of the waterfront means you leave your options open," Mr. Pantalone said.
Toronto's capital budget plan calls for $1-million in spending on the two-kilometre stretch of road in 2010 and an additional $50.8- million between 2012 and 2016. Given that work on the extension is not slated to begin for several years, Mr. Pantalone argued councillors still have plenty of time to cancel the project.
"Later on this year, or in 2008, or in 2009, we could choose not to spend that money," he said.
The$255-millionproject would extend Front Street past Bathurst Street, where it currently ends, to Dufferin Street. First proposed in 1983, the project is touted as a crucial step toward dismantling the Gardiner.
Lengthening Front Street would prevent traffic chaos by diverting 30% of the Gardiner's current traffic load away from Lake Shore Boulevard, according to the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation.
The federal, provincial and municipal governments have all committed funds to the project. However, councillors seemed to have derailed the project in 2005 by passing motions declaring it too expensive and not a city priority. Still, funding for the extension has remained in the capital budget plan.
Councillor Gord Perks, who represents a ward along the extension's route, argued the money could be better spent on other capital projects.
"Looking at the city of Toronto's waterfront, building the Front Street extension is not the top priority," Mr. Perks said.
"It's important that we get on with our work on the waterfront, that we show our commitment to it, and that transferring the money to other waterfront projects, we do exactly that."
Mr. Perks said other waterfront efforts have been stalled by the prolonged political wrangling over the extension.
Jcowan@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007
AoD
Pantalone keeps Front plan alive
James Cowan, National Post
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Deputy Mayor Joe Pantalone yesterday managed to keep the embattled Front Street extension project alive, at least for a while longer.
Toronto's budget committee voted on Friday to take $52-million earmarked for the extension and move it into a slush fund for other waterfront projects.
But Mr. Pantalone, an ardent proponent of the project, yesterday persuaded members of the executive committee to reverse the decision. Instead, he convinced his fellow councillors to wait until a determination is made on the Gardiner Expressway's future before rendering a verdict on Front Street.
"An intelligent debate on the transportation needs and the possible renewal of the waterfront means you leave your options open," Mr. Pantalone said.
Toronto's capital budget plan calls for $1-million in spending on the two-kilometre stretch of road in 2010 and an additional $50.8- million between 2012 and 2016. Given that work on the extension is not slated to begin for several years, Mr. Pantalone argued councillors still have plenty of time to cancel the project.
"Later on this year, or in 2008, or in 2009, we could choose not to spend that money," he said.
The$255-millionproject would extend Front Street past Bathurst Street, where it currently ends, to Dufferin Street. First proposed in 1983, the project is touted as a crucial step toward dismantling the Gardiner.
Lengthening Front Street would prevent traffic chaos by diverting 30% of the Gardiner's current traffic load away from Lake Shore Boulevard, according to the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation.
The federal, provincial and municipal governments have all committed funds to the project. However, councillors seemed to have derailed the project in 2005 by passing motions declaring it too expensive and not a city priority. Still, funding for the extension has remained in the capital budget plan.
Councillor Gord Perks, who represents a ward along the extension's route, argued the money could be better spent on other capital projects.
"Looking at the city of Toronto's waterfront, building the Front Street extension is not the top priority," Mr. Perks said.
"It's important that we get on with our work on the waterfront, that we show our commitment to it, and that transferring the money to other waterfront projects, we do exactly that."
Mr. Perks said other waterfront efforts have been stalled by the prolonged political wrangling over the extension.
Jcowan@nationalpost.com
© National Post 2007
AoD
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Mark Dowling
Guest
Re: Post: Pantalone Keeps Front (Street Extension) Plan Aliv
The problem is that the western waterfront LRT assumes the extension - I wonder how that happened???
The problem is that the western waterfront LRT assumes the extension - I wonder how that happened???
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spmarshall
Guest
Re: Post: Pantalone Keeps Front (Street Extension) Plan Aliv
Pantalone isn't that great, and seems to get his babies through at the expense of everyone else. His other recent work was to get the 29 Dufferin Buses extended for the soccer stadium at all times, and was able to by-pass normal procedure. Two extra buses are needed for this extension, which will come from somewhere, meanwhile the TTC rejects much needed route improvements elsewhere due to no money/no drivers/no buses.
Pantalone isn't that great, and seems to get his babies through at the expense of everyone else. His other recent work was to get the 29 Dufferin Buses extended for the soccer stadium at all times, and was able to by-pass normal procedure. Two extra buses are needed for this extension, which will come from somewhere, meanwhile the TTC rejects much needed route improvements elsewhere due to no money/no drivers/no buses.
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bizorky
Guest
Re: Post: Pantalone Keeps Front (Street Extension) Plan Aliv
At the same time, I can see what he is trying to do with this particular effort. Limited as it is, it is an effort to keeping the idea of getting rif of the Gardiner alive. It's not a very strong hand to play, though.
At the same time, I can see what he is trying to do with this particular effort. Limited as it is, it is an effort to keeping the idea of getting rif of the Gardiner alive. It's not a very strong hand to play, though.
nfitz
Superstar
With the old Front Street Extension project dead it looks like they are now going to plan B. A simple road from Strachan to Dufferin; here is the tender for the EA.
I'm not sure what plan there is, if any, between Bathurst and Strachan ... though in my mind, the easiest solution for a Waterfront West LRT would be to simply extend Front Street as a city street from Bathurst to Dufferin, with LRT down the middle from Union Station to Dufferin ... and then with the LRT going westward ... however I think that boat has sailed.
I'm not sure what plan there is, if any, between Bathurst and Strachan ... though in my mind, the easiest solution for a Waterfront West LRT would be to simply extend Front Street as a city street from Bathurst to Dufferin, with LRT down the middle from Union Station to Dufferin ... and then with the LRT going westward ... however I think that boat has sailed.
duper
Active Member
This thread was long, long dead.
Neil
Active Member
Nah, its not dead, its just resting. Personally I'd move the King streetcar to Wellington while the DRL was being built down King. Then I would leave it there.
Front St. is just too usefull if there is any hope in getting rid of the Gardiner. What I would like to see west of downtown is:
- shrink Lakeshore west of the Ex
- Put all easbound lanes from both the Gardiner and Lakeshore south of the Ex
- The current Gardiner alignment would be brought down to grade and be only westbound
- Strachan would be an at-grade intersecion, Bremner with LRT would go under the lowered Gardiner
- Front St. as the picture shows would feed a lot of westbound traffic out of the core which currently fills up Spadina in the afternoon.
Ok, I'm bracing myself. Commence flaming.
Front St. is just too usefull if there is any hope in getting rid of the Gardiner. What I would like to see west of downtown is:
- shrink Lakeshore west of the Ex
- Put all easbound lanes from both the Gardiner and Lakeshore south of the Ex
- The current Gardiner alignment would be brought down to grade and be only westbound
- Strachan would be an at-grade intersecion, Bremner with LRT would go under the lowered Gardiner
- Front St. as the picture shows would feed a lot of westbound traffic out of the core which currently fills up Spadina in the afternoon.
Ok, I'm bracing myself. Commence flaming.
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unimaginative2
Senior Member
Build the DRL at grade on the southern half of the Front Street Extension ROW.
TOareaFan
Superstar
I know I have posted on this before but the biggest reason to do something with the front st. extension is so we have an answer for the IOC when they ask during our next bid book of promises...."how did you do on those 3 projects that you absolutely promised would go ahead whether you hosted in 2008 or not". If the only answer we have is "well we were lying then" we should probably not bother asking them to believe the next book o' promises!
Woodbridge_Heights
Senior Member
No no valid proposal, though some here are loathe to do anything that benefits vehicular traffic. I don't know about splitting the Gardiner and running an elevated/at grade directions, maybe I'm not visualizing it right. It doesn't have to be all that complicated. Run West from Bathust, over the railways, connect with Liberty streets were possible and ramp over to the Gardiner.