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Ontario Line North of Eglinton (was Relief Line North) (Speculation)

I mean, part of the EELRT will be on Sheppard. Between Morningside and McCowan if that is what your referring to. That part was recently added to the plan around last year or so.

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Yeah, this is what I meant. If Sheppard is for sure to remain a subway, yet we know LRT is being contemplated for “Sheppard”, we do have this to go off of as a basis. I was trying to say we may see the Sheppard portion of Eg East as pictured spun off into a seperate project and enlarged. Who knows.
 
Even if the golden mile sections operates like a glorified street car the majority of the route will be quite speedy. A lot of those riders will be transferring at the Ontario line station. the big mistake was the Leslie station and I don’t know how they fix that.
It might be tough to fix without doing major work on the Eglinton bridge over the West Don.

But I think what you could do, is remove the turn from the southern eastbound Eglinton lanes. But add a third lane on the northside. If you make it just an eastbound turning lane, it can rejoin the other eastbound lanes - at one end at the Don Mills portal, and the other at the other at the portal just west of the West Don.

I think there is barely enough space under the railway tracks, if you make the lanes marrow, and remove the pedestrian sidewalk.

But if they weren't going underground, I don't know why simply couldn't have put the LRT on the south side of the road between the two portals.
 
there are disruptions on the subway system currently with suicides and other random things. You can spend a fortune and nothing is perfect. The west part of this line being grade separated makes the east side stick out. I really did not like the man but the fact is Rob Fords conversion was the best plan after we wanted subways subways subways.
Line 4 could have been built with PSDs. For a greenfield subway project, the cost of PSDs is trivial.

Edit: I meant Line 5. Sorry for the confusion. Line 4 is water well under the bridge.
 
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But it would have involved either buying a dedicated new fleet compatible with a new type of signaling system or retrofitting the old fleet for the same purpose, right? Not trivial.
 
The only other “subway” I can think of is the Hurontario LRT extension to downtown Brampton, which is at the 30% design stage. To preserve 5 seats, especially against a Bonnie Crombie Liberal party, I could see it suddenly being funded – even if I still prefer a surface alignment as originally planned.
 
The only other “subway” I can think of is the Hurontario LRT extension to downtown Brampton, which is at the 30% design stage. To preserve 5 seats, especially against a Bonnie Crombie Liberal party, I could see it suddenly being funded – even if I still prefer a surface alignment as originally planned.
On the flip side, I could see a successful smear campaign against any politician that would give the go ahead for that project. Almost $1B/km LRT in neighbourhoods around 3-4k residents per square kilometre ?? That is a gross misuse of provincial funds.
 
The only other “subway” I can think of is the Hurontario LRT extension to downtown Brampton, which is at the 30% design stage. To preserve 5 seats, especially against a Bonnie Crombie Liberal party, I could see it suddenly being funded – even if I still prefer a surface alignment as originally planned.
Campaigning for reelection is only 24 months away and need to start rolling out goodies to stay in power and this is what I see.

OL going north to Finch
Brampton getting their subway
Mississauga getting the dumb loop
Plans announce to extend the Sheppard white elephant to McGowan and to Downsview along with funding
Hamilton finally get their LRT out the ground.
Full steam for 413
TTC gets funds to replace the T1's
First GO Line being electrify
The long over due Crosstown Ribbon cutting tacking place
Durham Region gets more BRT lines along with construction of the extension of the LSW line.
ONR gets a few more train sets
More funding for other transit systems other than the GTA.
Ottawa gets a helping hand for its LRT phase 3 extension
More weekend service for GO along with 15 minute ADS.
 
The only other “subway” I can think of is the Hurontario LRT extension to downtown Brampton, which is at the 30% design stage. To preserve 5 seats, especially against a Bonnie Crombie Liberal party, I could see it suddenly being funded – even if I still prefer a surface alignment as originally planned.
That tunnel through downtown Brampton is pretty egregious. I think that could blow up in their faces if they went ahead with it.
 
On the flip side, I could see a successful smear campaign against any politician that would give the go ahead for that project. Almost $1B/km LRT in neighbourhoods around 3-4k residents per square kilometre ?? That is a gross misuse of provincial funds.
It would be a far better solution to make Main St a transit mall and reroute car traffic around it, leaving a one-way street for vehicle access, not through movements. That would cost far less. We could build a new hospital in Brampton for the money this would save...
 
2 quick questions:

1. Is this funded in any way? I remember seeing something about the planning stage being funded but no actual financing structure in place.

2. Will there be an "A" route and "B" route depending on if the train will go to Markham Centre or McCowan?
 
2 quick questions:

1. Is this funded in any way? I remember seeing something about the planning stage being funded but no actual financing structure in place.

2. Will there be an "A" route and "B" route depending on if the train will go to Markham Centre or McCowan?
1. No funding has been announced, but if anything it will likely be funded out of general revenue by the province, with possible contribution from the federal and municipal governments.
2. No one knows at this point. It's entirely possible the first phase of the extension will just be to Sheppard/Don Mills. The provincial government is hinting at possible interlining with a 407 line that will run west to Pearson and down to Kipling. There has been no mention of branching service.
 
When it comes to a western extension of the OL I have been thinking of perhaps something a bit more unorthodox. Assuming we don't just follow the DRL plan and go north up Roncessvalles to Dundas West here's 3 possible western extensions.

OPTION 1: Extension to Sherway Gardens via Queensway
For this extension the route follows the Lakeshore West line to Queensway and then runs along Queensway to Sherway Gardens. Stations would be at: Roncessvalles, Windemere, Royal York, Kipling, Sherway Gardens. Perhaps Line 2 also receives a 2 stop extension west to meet the OL at Sherway creating a new transit hub. Of course this also leaves open the possibility of a further western extension into Mississauga although due to the difference in technology only 1 line could be extended further west while the other terminates at Sherway. The main issues I can see with this extension are:

1) to much service for Queensway which may be better served by a streetcar
2) to close to Line 2. It can be argued that this extension may be to close to Line 2 and could cannabilize some of its ridership. This may be a good thing though since it could relieve growing pressure on the western half of Line 2 with riders commuting from the west end and Mississauga chosing to use the OL to get downtown instead of Line 2.

OPTION 2: Extension north to Pearson via Kipling Hydro Corridor:
For this extension instead of heading to Sherway Gardens, the OL turns north at Kipling and heads north via the Obico sub and Kipling Hyrdro corridor to Pearson Airport replicating part of the unbuilt Etobicoke RT. Stations on this extension would be: Kipling (Line 2), Burnhamthorpe, Eglinton (Line 5), Carlingview, Pearson Intl Airport. This extension would help alievate the lack of the major north-south line in the cities west end. The main issues with this extension are:

1) Construction Complexitity. The use of a hyrdro corridor pretty much precludes the use of an elevated structure thus the line would need to be built either under the corridor or in a trench. This is further compunded by the mess around Eglinton since there is both a large substation, gas lines, and Line 5 in the area meaning the line would have to be deep bored through here.
2) Duplication of UP Service. It can be argued that this extension would duplicata the primary role of the UP. While the UP would still be a faster ride into downtown, I have no doubt some would use the OL instead if only for its lower TTC fare.
3) Duplication of Line 5 Service. It can be argued that this extension would make the Line 5 extension to Pearson usless since you could just transfer to the OL at Martin Grove/Eglinton. Perhaps this make a case for Line 5 to be extended west into Mississauga via the BRT corridor instead of to Pearson.

OPTION 3: Turn the OL into a Ring Line via the Humber-Pearson & Finch Hydro Corridors.
For this extenson instead of heading to Pearson the route continues north via the Humber-Pearson Hydro Corridor and then east via to Finch Hydro Corridor to Don Mills Avenue, were it then turns south and reconnects to itself forming a ring line. This would fully replicate the unbuilt Etobicoke RT and give the cities west end its missing north-south line. Stations of this extension would be: Martin Grove/Dixon, Kipling, Islington, Finch/Weston (Line 6), Jane, Finch West (Line 1, 6), Dufferin, Bathurst, Finch (Line 1), Bayview, Leslie, Don Mills/Finch, Don Mills (Line 4). The main issues with the extension could be:

1) Construction Complexities. Just like with Option 2 all of the same issues with construction in the hydro corridors exist here.
2) Duplication of Line 6 Service. It can be argued that this extension would duplicate some of the service provided by Line 6. As well you can make the argument that you can get the same or similar results by extending Line 6 east to Yonge Street and beyond.

Of these 3 options I think Option 1 is the safest bet since it has the fewest complexities and may be more in line with the Provinces goals for a wider regional transit network (i.e. extension to Mississauga).

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Honestly Option 2 actually seems to be the most likely option since in the 2051 MTO visioning document, they had the whole "Ontario Line Loop" Concept that had the line extend north to RHC via Commerce Valley, then continue west until Pearson before turning south to reach Kipling. They didn't draw anything for how it would connect between Kipling and Exhibition (if at all), but assuming that they build that far, its likely they're eyeing Option 2 here.
 
Honestly Option 2 actually seems to be the most likely option since in the 2051 MTO visioning document, they had the whole "Ontario Line Loop" Concept that had the line extend north to RHC via Commerce Valley, then continue west until Pearson before turning south to reach Kipling. They didn't draw anything for how it would connect between Kipling and Exhibition (if at all), but assuming that they build that far, its likely they're eyeing Option 2 here.
I agree.

Though would be branching it not be an option? I don't think demand would be near as high west of Dufferin (or north of Danforth). The visioning document almost makes it look like the lines to Oshawa and Burlington could be branches.
 
I agree.

Though would be branching it not be an option? I don't think demand would be near as high west of Dufferin (or north of Danforth). The visioning document almost makes it look like the lines to Oshawa and Burlington could be branches.
The map in that document almost seems like it was drawn on a dinner napkin. Which *absolutely* could not be the case.
/s

Edit: clarification that I meant only the map
 
I agree.

Though would be branching it not be an option? I don't think demand would be near as high west of Dufferin (or north of Danforth). The visioning document almost makes it look like the lines to Oshawa and Burlington could be branches.
The lines to Oshawa and Burlington are a separate line/concept altogether, listed as a "Burlington - Oshawa rail line that avoids Union Station". Basically its sort of a longer term successor idea to the 407 Transitway. Yes, the official plan does have both lines basically be redundant with eachother for like 32km, I only hope the idea is that the Burlington-Oshawa GO line is some large station spacing regional line that follows the 407, meanwhile Ontario Loop is some local line running down Highway 7.
 

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