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Officially Unofficial Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan Thread

EnviroTO said:
I assume Aldershot exists in the VIA network purely for connecting between London and Niagara.
Click to expand...
It's a convenient place to catch a train. Coming from Kitchener, it's been a good place, to get on a direct train to Montreal - and has appeared relatively well used when I've been there.
 
That's true, nfitz. It is well used, including by people from Waterloo Region and Guelph. Its main purpose was to serve Hamilton from a consolidated station on both the Niagara and Brantford/London lines. I doubt if more than a handful of people actually connect from London to Niagara. I don't think the times are set up for connections.
 
So here we are at the white pages.

Subject to board approval, these will be the three versions of the Regional Transportation Plan that the public will be asked to comment on.

As you recall, the Green Papers were discussion papers - a way to ask what ideas you feel are most important and should be retained to the next step.

I encourage everyone to read the white papers to learn what will happen with Mobility Hubs; Active Transportation; Transportation Demand Management; Moving Goods and Delivering Services; and Roads and Highways, but since transit is the soul of the plan, I'll summarize the options here.

linear.jpg

The Linear Test Concept is based primarily on the MoveOntario 2020 projects and other proposed system improvements with the following additional services to complete connections, fill system gaps, and address growth beyond 2020.

radial.jpg

The Radial Test Concept builds on Test Concept A by strengthening several major transit corridors radiating from Union Station. Regional Express lines providing very high levels of rail service are a major part of the Radial Concept. Regional Express lines would provide a high frequency and high speed (average 80 km/h or more) service by electrified railways or other higher-order technologies.

web.jpg

The Web Test Concept provides enhanced radial service to/from Union Station, as in the Radial Test Concept, but also adds major new east-west higher-order transit lines. The network for this test concept is a fully integrated, hierarchical transit system that will connect most of the urban growth centres in the GTHA.

In addition to the maps, you can find the vital statictics of each concept here, here and here.

When you're looking at these maps, keep in mind the following:
  • Metro, in the context of this study, means grade separated railway. It could be subway, ICTS or a combination of both. Station spacing has not been defined, but could involved short-spacing (Transit City Spacing) along designated avenues. If this is true, express tracks are likely. Perhaps this is the compromise to stop all the fussin' and the fudin'.
  • Express Rail is frequent service (every few minutes). Rush hour commuter service will continue to operate along these corridors.
  • Commuter Rail is frequent commuter service during the peak hours, with off peak service every hour or better.
  • Other Rapid Transit is LRT or BRT.

So what is the next step?

The Draft RTP is due out in June. Until then, Metrolinx will be looking for comment on which proposal to move forward with. This is your region, and you have the opportunity to make it your regional plan.
 
Test A: Linear seems to assume that the only place worthy of regional rail is along the lake. Not true! Though that map almost completely replicates MoveOntario2020.

Test B: Radial should still feature express rail to Brampton and Markham.

The DRL looks like it would follow College-Gerrard. I hope that's not to scale!

Interesting. Will take me a few hours to look at carefully.
 
Interesting that both the Radial and Web plans show the Eglinton line as subway and Sheppard East as subway.

Unfortunately there is absolutely ZERO plans for anything where I live, which really sucks. Everything in Mississauga seems to be based on the 403, ignoring the 401 completely.
 
Mississauga has their own plans for travel within the city. Erin Mills, Brittannia and Derry will all likely get frequent (15 minute or better) premium bus service (MT-VA, they joking call it) under the Pre-Rapid Transit program. It wasn't included because Mississauga has the funding and will be implemented in the 2009-2010 range.

@ Doady, the Durham and York lines are mainly for local service along the corridor, and can be implemented in stages like VIVA. Popular routes could get the full rapid transit treatment while less popular routes could remain just frequent bus lines.
 
My nod goes to the "radial" plan B. Plan C is a little overboard. S-bahns on stilts above Highway 401? C'mon.

Plan B is not without its obvious failings. Why run regional rail to the airport and not further to Brampton? And where is that DRL when you need it (like right f__king now)?
 
I hope that DRL in Plan C is just where it is due to space limitations on the map!

Plan C does run express rail to Brampton, so maybe it's not so overboard afterall?
 
Metrolinx has always talked about "King or Queen". Richmond and Adelaide are the most likely candidates for this downtown relief line (note the lack of capitals in my spelling). The map is not to scale, and all routings are tentative. Many, myself included, believe that surface streetcars along King and Queen are one of the many things that make Toronto special. I believe the downtown corridor should co-exist with these routes and not replace them.

Think of these plans like eating at Mandarin. You can eat from the menu or head to the buffet.
 
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