Metrolinx: Sheppard East LRT (In Design)

[Markster]

Demand on the 36 Finch West bus is so local, it wouldn't matter to 70% of the riders. I don't see why a large amount of people would travel from Northern Etobicoke to Scarborough. TTC is splitting the 36 at Finch West in December because it would work. In fact with so many short trips, the 36 must be one of the best money making routes in the whole system.

I suspect a lot of people sitting in traffic on the 401 could give you a reason to travel between Etobicoke and Scarborough.

When Finch gets upgraded to LRT, travel times will drop, and we'll start to see it play a part in longer distance commutes. It will also start to serve higher "value" commutes, that is, people who refuse to ride a bus across town, but might ride an LRT (instead of using a car).

 

[Rainforest]

Would having a 1 (or 2/3) stop extension of the Finch West LRT from Finch West Station to Sheppard West Station be possible? If this were to happen, it would probably be done when Line 4 is extended to Sheppard West since an underground station for the new terminus of the Finch West LRT would be preferred. What alignment would the small extension have though? A portal on Finch Ave West east for Keele and a portal on Allen Rd north of Sheppard Ave West with an at-grade LRT would probably be the best choice.

My preference is two independent lines, one on Finch W + E, another in the Sheppard / Wilson / Ellesmere corridor.

But if the decision is made to extend Sheppard and not to build Finch East LRT, then I suppose your solution can work. Half of Finch West trains go all the way to Yonge, the other half turning south on Dufferin and reaching Sheppard. There is room for a terminus.

Does a Finch Crosstown LRT have more ridership potential than a full Sheppard Subway?

I have no idea. How long is the "full" Sheppard Subway? Downsview to STC? Western boundary to eastern boundary?

A subway would likely have more riders than an LRT line of the same length, since the subway is faster and would attract more riders from the ajacent corridors. But if we can never afford to build a crosstown subway in the Sheppard corridor, then naturally it will have fewer riders.

 

[Rainforest]

Btw, the area on both sides of Yonge near Wilson / York Mills is hilly, it would be difficult to build a continuous rail line along Wilson / York Mills / Ellesmere. A line that runs on Sheppard in the centre of the city, but swings to Wilson in the west and Ellesmere in the east, makes some sense.

Finch, on the other hand, can have its own line.

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1187001543230398464

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1189278365229998082

 

[Rainforest]

IMO, extending Sheppard as a wide-bodied TTC subway is unlikely. No matter what motions to study they pass; the cost is tremendous and the push to get it done is not as strong as the push for SSE.

Options that are somewhat realistic:

1) If the Ontario Line is extended to Sheppard, that would strengthen the case for using the OL's technology for the Sheppard line. The existing Sheppard subway would be converted, too. Since the OL is high-floor system, the conversion woldn't be too hard or too costly. The extension would be fully grade-separated, but since the trains and stations would have smaller footprint, the cost would be somewhat more affordable.

2) It is possible to resurrect Sheppard East LRT (low-floor), the case for that line will be boosted if SSE is extended to Sheppard / McCowan. The existing Sheppard subway will remain as is, converting it to low floor is too expensive and noone will pay for that. The "linear" transfer at Don Mills won't be that bad if it occurs on the same platform. Still a bit of a nuisance, but not as big a deal as some think.

3) The third option is to build Sheppard East LRT as a high-floor line. That simplifies the conversion of the existing Sheppard tunnel, but makes it harder to build the surface section (because of the accessibility requirements).

IMO, the 3-rd option is unlikely for a number of reasons, one of them being the introduction of yet another rail technology. Options 1 and 2 are possible.

 

[sixrings]

IMO, extending Sheppard as a wide-bodied TTC subway is unlikely. No matter what motions to study they pass; the cost is tremendous and the push to get it done is not as strong as the push for SSE.

Options that are somewhat realistic:

1) If the Ontario Line is extended to Sheppard, that would strengthen the case for using the OL's technology for the Sheppard line. The existing Sheppard subway would be converted, too. Since the OL is high-floor system, the conversion woldn't be too hard or too costly. The extension would be fully grade-separated, but since the trains and stations would have smaller footprint, the cost would be somewhat more affordable.

2) It is possible to resurrect Sheppard East LRT (low-floor), the case for that line will be boosted if SSE is extended to Sheppard / McCowan. The existing Sheppard subway will remain as is, converting it to low floor is too expensive and noone will pay for that. The "linear" transfer at Don Mills won't be that bad if it occurs on the same platform. Still a bit of a nuisance, but not as big a deal as some think.

3) The third option is to build Sheppard East LRT as a high-floor line. That simplifies the conversion of the existing Sheppard tunnel, but makes it harder to build the surface section (because of the accessibility requirements).

IMO, the 3-rd option is unlikely for a number of reasons, one of them being the introduction of yet another rail technology. Options 1 and 2 are possible.

1 is assuming that OL which is between 0-10% designed actually gets built with smaller trains than traditional subways.

How about a compromise and OL or RT trains on Sheppard between yonge and Don mills then elevated to the ends of Scarborough.

 

[UD2]

Councillor Ford voted no to the Sheppard Subway Extension motion. If the Fords arn't in favor then it ain't happening. It's just sad since the Sheppard line vicinity lines all conservative ridings.

 

[Rainforest]

How about a compromise and OL or RT trains on Sheppard between yonge and Don mills then elevated to the ends of Scarborough.

I assume, that's almost a given. If Sheppard is extended as a fully grade-separated line, but using agile / OL type trains, then much of the extension will be elevated rather than tunneled.

 

[micheal_can]

I do not see them changing the current Sheppard line. Look at the SRT for the proof that once they build it, they leave it.

 

[Coolstar]

Metrolinx's take on Sheppard East LRT: Sheppard East LRT McCowan Rd. – Meadowvale Rd
Link: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pd...220_BoardMtg_Advancing_Transit_Priorities.pdf
Metrolinx portrays the LRT extending east from the terminus of Line 2 and 4 at Sheppard/McCowan to Meadowvale near the zoo.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Metrolinx's take on Sheppard East LRT: Sheppard East LRT McCowan Rd. – Meadowvale Rd
Link: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pd...220_BoardMtg_Advancing_Transit_Priorities.pdf
Metrolinx portrays the LRT extending east from the terminus of Line 2 and 4 at Sheppard/McCowan to Meadowvale near the zoo.

Don't think I will be able to ride any light rail to the Toronto Zoo, within my lifetime or before I'm 100 (whichever comes last).

 

[sixrings]

Don't think I will be able to ride any light rail to the Toronto Zoo, within my lifetime or before I'm 100 (whichever comes last).

I too would like a LRT ride to the zoo. However in this world we can only transfer from subways to buses as LRTs are a weapon from the elite to hold the burbs back.

 

[mdu]

I seem to remember the more recent ML maps all depicting a Sheppard East extension

 

[Coolstar]

I seem to remember the more recent ML maps all depicting a Sheppard East extension

Perhaps but don't expect this anytime soon.