Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s

Toronto1834 said:

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Again...

The federal department said again last week it has yet to receive the required applications, but Mulroney’s office said Metrolinx has completed “thorough” business cases for each project and has sent that information to the federal government.

“Minister McKenna has been in touch with Minister Mulroney on multiple occasions to discuss transit priorities for Toronto,” a spokesperson for federal Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna said on Monday in an email. “In order for the Federal Government to move forward we require business plans for these projects.”
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This right here is why I remain unconvinced that the Government of Ontario has any plans of actually seeing these lines built. The good engineers and civil servants at Metrolinx might be drawing up plans in earnest, but at the end of the day QP needs to negotiate with the Federal government and sign off on the financial decisions to see this thing built. By my rough estimation, it's been over a year that Ontario has been playing this game of whining to the public that the Feds aren't providing OL funding, while QP themselves have never asked for funding. I have a suspicion that come election time, Ford is just gonna throw his hand up in the air and say, "well, we tried to build the OL, but the feds won't provide funding", and that's where this proposal will die.
 
^ It may just be a timing issue. Maybe the feds want to see the work we know is happening right now on plans and further reports. See this post and the "next few weeks" comment.

Coolstar said:
I went on the Ontario Line page on the Metrolinx engage website to check for any updates and there are a few things to note:

Last time, Metrolinx stated that the site of the MSF was unknown despite stating that the IBC mentioning the MSF will be located at Wicksteed Avenue and Beth Nealson Drive. Now it looks like Metrolinx will go forward with the Wicksteed and Beth Nealson location.

View attachment 266284

Next, someone asked if the line was still on schedule for 2027. Metrolinx noted that the 2019 provincial budget contemplated a completion date as early as 2027. But the actual start of construction and completion date would depend on the consortiums who will bid on the project. So don't expect the line to open in 2027. Unless a miracle happens.

View attachment 266285

Lastly, Metrolinx mentioned that they would share more details about the line this fall. If so, it looks the Preliminary Design Business Case (PDBC) was pushed back to this fall after Metrolinx stated the PDBC would be released late this summer. However Metrolinx also stated that they would share more information about the project in the next few weeks.

View attachment 266286

As a result I asked when the PDBC would come out to figure it out once and for all. I'm fairly anxious to know more info about the line and hopefully we can see it as soon as they can.
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Allandale25 said:
^ It may just be a timing issue. Maybe the feds want to see the work we know is happening right now on plans and further reports. See this post and the "next few weeks" comment.
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Perhaps. That's the more optimistic take. If that were the case, I'd expect the Ontario financial minister to just say that they're waiting to compile the required information before requesting funding. Instead, the provincial government is claiming that they've "completed “thorough” business cases for each project and have sent that information to the federal government", strongly communicating that, at least from their point of view, they've already sent in all of the required information, and the feds are just stonewalling them. I don't see the motivation for the Provincial Government to play these games and embellish the truth about the completeness of their funding request, unless they really had no intention of requesting OL funding from the feds in the first place, and are just laying the groundwork to blame the lack of OL progress on the feds.
 
I have to admit that I feel like the Ontario Line is being set up to fail. From financial close in the government’s next term, to a lack of plans to all the confusing messaging between the federal and provincial government around budgeting...
 
allengeorge said:
I have to admit that I feel like the Ontario Line is being set up to fail. From financial close in the government’s next term, to a lack of plans to all the confusing messaging between the federal and provincial government around budgeting...
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And as an additional inconvenience, the PDBC has been delayed to this fall after it was supposed to be released late this summer.
 
Allandale25 said:
^ I can't remember from other PDBCs, but do they show track plans? Are there any recent PDBC examples?
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The SSE had it's PDBC released back in February. It generally talked in detail about the proposed stations (Station amenities, Bus Bays, locations of station platforms), The many benefits of extending the SSE, and how the tunnel would be constructed/construction impacts. The EPR addendum/Appendix did show the proposed design layout of the SSE.
 
When they built the Leaside Bridge (Millwood Road) originally, it had space on it for a streetcar right-of-way. Unfortunately, that space was taken over for more lanes of automobile traffic instead.

Unlike the Prince Edward Viaduct, there is no space available for a rapid transit line under the roadway of the bridge. They'll need to build a separate bridge for the Ontario Line.

Fantasy image of such a rapid transit bridge:
50207050033_0915ea5227_h.jpg

From link.

However, the current facilities on the Leaside Bridge leaves something to be desired for pedestrians and cyclists.
1600040003477.png

From link.

A THIRD bridge will be needed. This one for exclusive use of cyclists (e-bikes, e-scooters, and motorized wheelchairs) and pedestrians. It would be limited to 30 km/h, but be able to support the weight of a fire truck if needed.

Better yet. Combine the Ontario Line bridge, cycling, and pedestrian bridge into one bridge.
North-Arm-Bridge.jpg

From link.
 
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W. K. Lis said:
When they built the Leaside Bridge (Millwood Road) originally, it had space on it for a streetcar right-of-way. Unfortunately, that space was taken over for more lanes of automobile traffic instead.

Unlike the Prince Edward Viaduct, there is no space available for a rapid transit line under the roadway of the bridge. They'll need to build a separate bridge for the Ontario Line.

Fantasy image of such a rapid transit bridge:

From link.
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Oh man that image "Wylie Poon" created is phenomenal. As are the the other ones in the link. Very professional.
 
I'd be wary of a design with cables over the tracks, as various local Vancouver bridges have had "ice bombs" falling from them.
But we do have wetter snow.
 
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