steveintoronto
Superstar
Holy fuddle duddle! Is Donald Trump secretly sitting in on Staff meetings? Sad...
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SmartTrack (Proposed)
- Thread starter aquateam
- Start date
Amare
Senior Member
More info about the IMIT program here:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...s-for-downtown-office-towers/article37714373/
To be honest i'm surprised the program is still active, I thought is was scrapped a couple years since there was talk of getting rid of it. Truthfully the program isnt needed in the core anymore, the city centres have been languishing for years and it's time to attract some office development there. The downtown core proper will be just fine without it.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/new...s-for-downtown-office-towers/article37714373/
To be honest i'm surprised the program is still active, I thought is was scrapped a couple years since there was talk of getting rid of it. Truthfully the program isnt needed in the core anymore, the city centres have been languishing for years and it's time to attract some office development there. The downtown core proper will be just fine without it.
crs1026
Superstar
A couple quick observations from the town hall re ST stations held this evening in the west end. Mr Tory was on hand, as was CP 24.
- The presentation covered St Clair (Kitchener), Bloor-Lansdowne (Barrie), King-Liberty (Kitchener) and Spadina-Front (Barrie). The design work has progressed to the point where there is a basic site layout and associated environmental studies, but not the architectural details. Have not worked out all the impacts on adjoining properties.
- Very close to initiating TPAP for these
- As Steve Munro has tweeted, ML portrayed ST service headways as peak 8-10 minutes and 15 mins off -peak... this was actually in writing in the presentation slides, and was repeated verbally
- St Clair underpass will be widened, but staff do not believe it will be possible to have a streetcar stop directly adjacent to the station entrance
- King-Liberty is on a curve and platforms will be staggered, one further west than the other
- Biggest residents' concern - the impact of Transport Canada regs requiring ringing of bells at the new stations, which will be surrounded on all sides at close quarters by condos and townhome developments. I have to say, this regulation is just dumb in the context of these stations. Clear message to ML and Tory to push back with Ottawa.
- Next biggest concern - few in the room actually believe the promise that either GO or ST will ever be electrified. A real deja moo attitude. Junction Triangle resident pointed out that they currently have diesels on three sides.
- The Railpath is clearly a politically sacred bit of infrastructure to west end residents
Tory was pretty low profile during the meeting, sat and listened but didn't try to grab any air time (Nor did Councillors Balao or Layton, also attending). The one point where he looked around and scanned the crowd was when the Rail Deck Park was mentioned.
- Paul
- The presentation covered St Clair (Kitchener), Bloor-Lansdowne (Barrie), King-Liberty (Kitchener) and Spadina-Front (Barrie). The design work has progressed to the point where there is a basic site layout and associated environmental studies, but not the architectural details. Have not worked out all the impacts on adjoining properties.
- Very close to initiating TPAP for these
- As Steve Munro has tweeted, ML portrayed ST service headways as peak 8-10 minutes and 15 mins off -peak... this was actually in writing in the presentation slides, and was repeated verbally
- St Clair underpass will be widened, but staff do not believe it will be possible to have a streetcar stop directly adjacent to the station entrance
- King-Liberty is on a curve and platforms will be staggered, one further west than the other
- Biggest residents' concern - the impact of Transport Canada regs requiring ringing of bells at the new stations, which will be surrounded on all sides at close quarters by condos and townhome developments. I have to say, this regulation is just dumb in the context of these stations. Clear message to ML and Tory to push back with Ottawa.
- Next biggest concern - few in the room actually believe the promise that either GO or ST will ever be electrified. A real deja moo attitude. Junction Triangle resident pointed out that they currently have diesels on three sides.
- The Railpath is clearly a politically sacred bit of infrastructure to west end residents
Tory was pretty low profile during the meeting, sat and listened but didn't try to grab any air time (Nor did Councillors Balao or Layton, also attending). The one point where he looked around and scanned the crowd was when the Rail Deck Park was mentioned.
- Paul
junctionist
Senior Member
The Railpath is amazing. It's a practical pedestrian and cycling corridor that's more efficient, attractive, and safe for walking and cycling than streets like Dundas Street West. It's also a public space where people socialize and hold events in the warmer months. People love it.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Steve Munro has some thoughts in the following two posts:
Metrolinx Updates News Stations Business Cases
Metrolinx New Stations Report: The Details
kEiThZ
Superstar
Smart Track and GO RER are merging. Exactly like I predicted years ago.
With the appropriate bus feed, ST can provide some sort of relief (minor as it may be) till the DRL come along. For once, GO is actually focused on servicing the 416 more than 905 commuters.
With the appropriate bus feed, ST can provide some sort of relief (minor as it may be) till the DRL come along. For once, GO is actually focused on servicing the 416 more than 905 commuters.
Leo_Chan
Senior Member
Are the fares confirmed yet?
kEiThZ
Superstar
Haven't seen anything. But I honestly don't think fares are that relevant. I think the biggest reasons that GO doesn't take more customers in the 416 are:
1) Poor schedule - it's not even close to being reliable with trains every half hour or worse.
2) Poor feeder service - Limited feeder service to many stations, compounded by stations being far apart and/or not well located.
3) Price - Not even a transfer discount between GO and TTC.
4) Congestion/crowding on trains full leaving the 905.
All 4 of these issues would be addressed to some degree by Smart Track.
M II A II R II K
Senior Member
All the 905 trains should be separated from the 416 trains except to stop at significant downtown GO stops and interchanges. And the 416 trains can still go into the 905 for those in the 905 who want to get off at the insignificant 416 stops.
OneCity
Senior Member
We should do something similar with our subway and alternate frequency on lower ridership stops.
BurlOak
Senior Member
I don't think it would make a difference. The network (or at least the YUS and B-D lines) are controlled by a single Y-B station. They could actually add a few extra stations and the number of trains on the line would not change at all.
ssiguy2
Senior Member
On the contrary, fares are very relevant.
GO just released their ridership stats and they are VERY bleak. In the last quarter reported, GO rail increased the number of trips by 8% but ridership only increased 2.1%. This is made even worse by the fact that GO bus ridership declined by 1.7% as more moved over to the train due to rearranged scheduling. The GTAH is growing at 2% a year so all those extra trains didn't increase per-capita ridership one little bit.
The GO trains can quadruple frequency but it will do little if people still can't afford to take it. The semi-fare integration brought in recently by Wynne will help but only slightly..............just because BMW has a 10% off sale doesn't mean that all of a sudden everyone can afford to buy a BMW. That "sale" still means nothing until the sticker price comes down to Chevy prices where the masses can take advantage of it.
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robmausser
Senior Member
The short distance fares need to be more reasonable. Taking the train to Oshawa for $12 is reasonable. Taking it to Agincourt for $6 is not.
M II A II R II K
Senior Member
They have to charge higher than a TTC fare within the 416.
Leo_Chan
Senior Member
I’d say having the GO fare cover for the TTC fare will be good. Whether it include fare-by-distance or not, $5.30 is a good fare when it comes to ST.