Metrolinx: Finch West LRT

[INTz]

Hovering above Toronto’s Finch West LRT – Including images of massive Maintenance and Storage Facility

Hovering above Toronto’s Finch West LRT – Including images of massive Maintenance and Storage Facility

blog.metrolinx.com

 

[Reecemartin]

Toronto’s other major new transit line Line 6, is now under construction. We checked out the progress on this major expansion to Toronto’s transit network.

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1355167606714593295

 

[W. K. Lis]

F.Y.I.

Length of Line 6 Finch West LRT, 11 km.

Length of original Yonge Subway (Union to Eglinton), 7.4 km. Today, Line 1 is 38.8 km (over 5 times its original length). Adding 8.6 km for the alleged Yonge extension into Richmond Hill, would make Line 1 47.4 km.

 

[Towered]

F.Y.I.

Length of Line 6 Finch West LRT, 11 km.

Length of original Yonge Subway (Union to Eglinton), 7.4 km. Today, Line 1 is 38.8 km (over 5 times its original length). Adding 8.6 km for the alleged Yonge extension into Richmond Hill, would make Line 1 47.4 km.

Hopefully a "phase 2" extension of the Finch LRT will take it to Yonge, and a "phase 3" deep into Scarborough.

 

[nfitz]

Hopefully a "phase 2" extension of the Finch LRT will take it to Yonge, and a "phase 3" deep into Scarborough.

I thought the current thought was that Phase 2 would take it deeper into Etobicoke.

The original plan was to go to Don Mills/Sheppard ... not deeper into Scarborough.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Since Alstom now "owns" Bombardier's Rail Transportation, the Finch West LRT will be using the same manufacturer as the Eglinton Crosstown LRT. Except it would be a different "model".

 

[ARG1]

I thought the current thought was that Phase 2 would take it deeper into Etobicoke.

The original plan was to go to Don Mills/Sheppard ... not deeper into Scarborough.

That plan was frankly stupid. Also since Sheppard East is no longer an LRT, there's even less reason to bring that there.

 

[Steve X]

Finch east of Yonge is quite narrow to maintain 4 traffic lanes plus 2 LRT lanes. It'll be interesting to see how that elite neighbourhood would respond to a surface alignment.

 

[robmausser]

That plan was frankly stupid. Also since Sheppard East is no longer an LRT, there's even less reason to bring that there.

Yes. If anything the Sheppard subway should be extended west to Sheppard West station. An express RT connection between the two parts of Line 1 is needed in the north.

 

[Rainforest]

Finch east of Yonge is quite narrow to maintain 4 traffic lanes plus 2 LRT lanes. It'll be interesting to see how that elite neighbourhood would respond to a surface alignment.

That's true. Yonge to Don Mills, expanding to 6 lanes would require taking away many front yards. And just east of Yonge, there is no space for 6 lanes at all. In addition, the Leslie hill between Bayview and Leslie isn't optimal for a surface LRT.

Therefore, I wouldn't stick to street-median all the way as the only acceptable option. From Yonge to Don Mills, either tunneling or using the Hydro corridor should be considered, and the tracks can return to street-median east of Don Mills or east of the 404.

Anyway, east of Yonge would be Phase 4. Phases 2 and 3 are Keele to Yonge and Humber College to Pearson, in either order.

 

[afransen]

That's true. Yonge to Don Mills, expanding to 6 lanes would require taking away many front yards. And just east of Yonge, there is no space for 6 lanes at all. In addition, the Leslie hill between Bayview and Leslie isn't optimal for a surface LRT.

Therefore, I wouldn't stick to street-median all the way as the only acceptable option. From Yonge to Don Mills, either tunneling or using the Hydro corridor should be considered, and the tracks can return to street-median east of Don Mills or east of the 404.

Anyway, east of Yonge would be Phase 4. Phases 2 and 3 are Keele to Yonge and Humber College to Pearson, in either order.

If we're talking about tunneling, it's probably cheaper to expropriate one or both sides of the street to expand the ROW. It's mostly SFH. Would cost gross ~$100M per km maybe given current prices and would result in owning developable land to offset this expense.

 

[TorPronto]

Finch east of Yonge is quite narrow to maintain 4 traffic lanes plus 2 LRT lanes. It'll be interesting to see how that elite neighbourhood would respond to a surface alignment.

The transit city proposal had the Finch LRT underground for a bit approaching Yonge station due to space constraints. I imagine if east of Yonge was ever done, that it would be underground for a few more KM

 

[Rainforest]

The transit city proposal had the Finch LRT underground for a bit approaching Yonge station due to space constraints. I imagine if east of Yonge was ever done, that it would be underground for a few more KM

The Finch and Yonge intersection, for sure. Either underground or in the hydro corridor just north of the subway station. An on-street terminal would not fit.

The question is for how many KM east of Yonge would the tunnel go. Technically, 300-500 m is enough to clear the tightest spot, after that you would need to expropriate quite a bit of front yard strips in order to make room for 6 lanes, but no house demolitions.

 

[11th]

The Finch and Yonge intersection, for sure. Either underground or in the hydro corridor just north of the subway station. An on-street terminal would not fit.

The question is for how many KM east of Yonge would the tunnel go. Technically, 300-500 m is enough to clear the tightest spot, after that you would need to expropriate quite a bit of front yard strips in order to make room for 6 lanes, but no house demolitions.

Finch slopes down at Bayview. Portal can make use of that. The question is how good can LRVs handle the slopes between Willowdale and Don Mills during winter. Will they be better than buses?

If there's tunneling involved, the cost will probably balloon to billion figures. The question then becomes, is it worth building a line that will essentially be (another) shuttle service between Don Mills and Yonge?