I think may of the transit aspects have been covered by other posters already. However a brief comment or 2 by me on that area of his plan, the more on the plans other aspects.
1) He proposes to raise 1 Billion in developments right, of which 300M goes to subway construction, the other 700M finances his roads plan.
2)The proposal to raise money is unclear as to whether it means development over stations, OR tax-increment financing of some form. This is a scheme where by land along the proposed route is summarily upzoned by the City, and property taxes collected based on new value for the property at 'highest/best use'. The latter, in my judgment would still not accrue 1B in short to medium term, but be highly controversial w/suburban voters....... The former would never generate the desired amount, in the near term, based on existing land values. A single, over-station site, depending on approved density, might be worth 10M, at 10 stations, in theory, you get 100M. We could toy with the numbers up or down all day; but there's no way to reach 1B in anyone's wildest dreams
3)ON Streetcars, never mind the cost of canceling a pre-existing purchase order which I'm sure has an expensive cancellation clause..........operationally it would take 3 buses to replace each CLRV, and 4 to replace each ALRV. The TTC has no such spares, and your operating cost balloons with 3-4 drivers for every one you have now.
**********
Onto the roads part of the plan
400M to fix/link disjointed roads to improve traffic.
I might, support this in theory, depending on the road. But his plan does not identify the roads he would like to link.
Lawrence East? I could see that using up the whole 400M as that would be a mega-bridge.
Coxwell to Don Mills? That bridge would be a 1B
What else might he have in mind? I'd like to see Sloan punched through to Lawrence cleanly.
But I just don't see 400M going very far. Few of the major roads are fixable in this regard without spending at least what was/is being spent on Dufferin. There are generally major valleys, railways, highways etc. in the way. And often some homes too.
Think Pharmacy/401, on either side this is a 2-lane residential side street. To make the link work you need a larger ROW if only to accommodate TTC buses. That means losing a row of houses, or cropping front yards at any rate. Both expensive, and controversial.
************
On cycling.
Bike Lanes: Where feasible/makes sense: Of course, DUH, LOL....but he doesn't say where that would be
Bike Trails: Wonderful map of proposed bike trails, a cyclists wet dream. Slight problem...or 3.........2M wide path? LOL WHAT? City Standard Trails are 3-4M. Aside from just being wrong, it could really throw the cost estimate.
Hey, what's this, he's plunked bike paths through the private Golf Club, Donalda, as well as the City one at Don Valley. Ummmm, complicated and pricey to start redesigning the course for this. Not sure Donalda couldn't just refuse too.
Oooh, he's completed the waterfront trail in both Scarborough and Etobicoke........though the back yards of homes with countless millions! LOL Alternatively he could just use Lake Fill to build the trails, but oh the screaming over property rights, and the cost.
His proposal is to do all this w/$50 Million? I don't think so. Based on the cost of similar work at Mimico and Port Union, he could be into 200M plus, on the waterfront alone.
