Smitherman's Transit plan

[lead82]

Why do we have such idiotic politicians. Can I vote for: NONE OF THE BAFOONS ABOVE!

Smitherman's plan is in reality: DO NOTHING for 4 years in her first term. All of the projects he mentions in phase 1 are already FUNDED and construction has either begun (Spadina, Sheppard) or will begin shortly (Cherry St LRT).

His plan does nothing for downtown Toronto, where capacity is at 100%. Not a single candidate would build or even start studying the DRL more closely.

Also, I think I read in the York Region newspaper that Spadina Extension is delayed until 2018? WTF? It just started construction and already delayed by 3yrs?

Toronto will get a black eye on national stage in 5yrs during the Pan Am games when the media spotlight will focus on our great 1970's transit system that it bursting at the seams downtown with no improvement in sight.

 

[nfitz]

Why do we have such idiotic politicians. Can I vote for: NONE OF THE BAFOONS ABOVE!

Yes - you spoil your ballot.

I'm tempted to write David Miller's name on the ballot.

 

[SlickFranky]

Why do we have such idiotic politicians. Can I vote for: NONE OF THE BAFOONS ABOVE!

I'm with you 100% there. Every one of them has some failing I can't overlook. Some have a half dozen or more. I'm so tired voting for the least shitty, or the the safety vote to make sure the completely unacceptable doesn't win (like so many other Liberal voters ). Just once I'd like to for the best.

I'm not terribly proud of this, but lately I've actually started thinking...I miss Giambrone. Seriously, he would probably get my vote if he came back. Why couldn't you puritans just let the man philander in peace?

 

[Electrify]

I think there is a lot of flak here that is undeserved.

1. Those saying that he will spend the entire first term doing nothing are full of shit. Has Miller spent his last term doing nothing? In his first term, he will be laying the groundwork so that by his second term construction can begin.

2. People saying that an extension to Sherway Gardens would only draw 700 passengers are full of shit, this includes the TTC. First, if implemented properly it could provide an excellent commuter point for southwest end commuters to park and take the train into the city, especially if their commutes require more flexability than the GO can provide. This continues to be the draw to stations such as Don Mills and Yorkdale. Secondly, you'll be getting plenty of Mississauga buses coming to feed this station. And finally, you'll also be getting people who work at Sherway Gardens and the commercial in the area using the station as well. This kind of draw creates reverse flow usage and travel patterns to ensure usage going both ways on the line.

3. The Sheppard extension to Downsview also makes more sense than it may appear to. York University is the main draw here. This way you will get passengers from Scarborough using the LRT. Then between Don Mills and Yonge, you will also be getting an inflow of more passengers from those who are coming from the highway, thus the higher capacity transit. Then at Yonge, some will stay on the train, some will get off to go to downtown Toronto or North York, and some will get on to continue west. From here, it is continued heavy rail transit to York University. Yes, for those going from Malvern to Rexdale it will mean an extra transfer, but a trip that long would be better suited for a higher speed express service (GO Transit), especially considering the number of stops one would endure.

Does this mean I give full support to Smitherman? Not at all. The lack of connection between the Scarborough subway and Sheppard LRT is baffling (though odds are it would become a reality during the planning stages), and I think it is a mistake to axe the extension to Malvern Town Center. There is no talk of stop spacing on the LRT lines, a serious problem with how they are planned. The way he plans to fund this raises too many questions, and looks like it could follow the same mistakes as e-Health. And of course, unless the WELRT makes its way to Danforth, the lack of a relief line is crushing.

But some of the hate going on is just insane!

 

[nfitz]

2. People saying that an extension to Sherway Gardens would only draw 700 passengers are full of shit, this includes the TTC. First, if implemented properly it could provide an excellent commuter point for southwest end commuters to park and take the train into the city, especially if their commutes require more flexability than the GO can provide. This continues to be the draw to stations such as Don Mills and Yorkdale. Secondly, you'll be getting plenty of Mississauga buses coming to feed this station. And finally, you'll also be getting people who work at Sherway Gardens and the commercial in the area using the station as well. This kind of draw creates reverse flow usage and travel patterns to ensure usage going both ways on the line.

First, there are few bus riders in Toronto that would benefit from Sherway. Secondly perhaps some in Mississauga, though most buses would still be closer to Kipling or Islington - however Smitherman is running for mayor of Toronto - why is he interested in building facilities for Mississauga commuters? Thirdly, yes you would get some travelling to work at Sherway ... but they wouldn't be part of the peak hour.

 

[Dan416]

First, there are few bus riders in Toronto that would benefit from Sherway. Secondly perhaps some in Mississauga, though most buses would still be closer to Kipling or Islington - however Smitherman is running for mayor of Toronto - why is he interested in building facilities for Mississauga commuters? Thirdly, yes you would get some travelling to work at Sherway ... but they wouldn't be part of the peak hour.

Most Mississauga buses would go to East Mall, not Kipling or Islington if the line was extended to Sherway. Just FYI.

 

[kettal]

A lot of suburban people do support transit expansion. They just have to be shown how it will benefit them. For a lot of people, a subway or LRT at their doorstep is seen as a much bigger advantage than a subway downtown. However, what can be explained to them is that building a subway downtown first will help reduce the congestion on their subway ride. I would venture to say that people would be less jaded about transit if they didn't have to get packed into a subway car like a sardine every morning, or waiting 2 trains to actually get on.

Even if the new line doesn't directly benefit them, you can still make the case that the secondary benefit of reduced congestion will make their ride more enjoyable (or at the very least, more tolerable). You don't need to put a subway or LRT at someone's doorstep to improve their transit ride.

I wish. Average people are far too self centred and ignorant to listen to this. The real reason they want a subway near the house? To increase your property value.

 

[GTS]

A lot of the plans Smitherman talks of sound nice and will get the voters attention but he hasn't laid out exactly how he is going to pay for it, I read it is a public/private partnership. The problem with PP3 is that the best decisions aren't always made for the city as a whole because now we have private interest groups having a lot more influence in decisions being made. I was still living in Vancouver when the Sheppard Subway was built but that corridor looks like it got rapid transit because of all the developers who are now constructing massive condo builidngs on this corridor and will make a ton of money because they get to sell their condo's at a higher price because of the transit infratstructure in place at their doorstep. I don't know how come Sheppard got a subway before other corridors that probably need it more, such as the downtown relief line or Eglinton which is very heavily used for transit.

The one plan Smitherman talked of that doesn't get a lot of attention is the extension of the Bloor Line to Sherway Gardens. I think that extension would be great for business, Mississauga transit and the TTC. I don't have much hope of Smitherman getting his act together an making this extension become reality. I know this isn't transit but when Smitherman was in charge of the provincial ministry in charge of implementing the much needed e-health program, it ran into very serious cost overruns and mismanagement that we still don't have this much needed system in place. I think he would find the process of getting funding put together much more complicated with many more hurdles to make all these transit plans he is promising compared to the e-health mess. It will be much more difficult to steer the municipal council and the private business interests he is talking of bringing on board in the direction he wants- in fact I think it would make the e-health file look like a cake walk and he messed up very big (costly) on that plan.

 

[valkoholic]

A lot of the plans Smitherman talks of sound nice and will get the voters attention but he hasn't laid out exactly how he is going to pay for it, I read it is a public/private partnership.

I agree 100%. I've done a lot of P3 work and I'm convinced it's a bad way to build things. Plus, it's essentially borrowing money so it's no better than saying that we will issue bonds to pay for the expanion.

My dream candidate would say the following:

1. I will toll Toronto's expressways and work with MTO to toll 400-series highways within the GTA. This money will go directly to Metrolinx to fund transportation projects.
2. project's under construction will be completed as first phase
3. metrolix would be asked to re-evaluate their plans for second phase and provide their best advice as to what lines should be built, in what order, and with what technology withou political interferance
4. metrolinx would be given a long-term mandate to build as they see fit using their secured long-term funding

 

[TwoDogs_39]

I'm not terribly proud of this, but lately I've actually started thinking...I miss Giambrone. Seriously, he would probably get my vote if he came back. Why couldn't you puritans just let the man philander in peace?

OMG I totally said this to my friend yesterday!! I'm pretty much a centrist politically, and Giambrone is farther to the left than I like, but at least he had a vision and the capacity to come up with new, innovative ideas. I'd be curious to hear his transit platform lol.

I think the media went out on a wild smear campaign against him. I didn't realize Torontonians were so judgmental and hypocritical about the whole sex "scandal" (BS!) thing. Was pathetic. I hope he comes back cause he was a better politician than most of the mayoral candidates.

 

[The Mad Navigator]

...

If you want to play with images, I'm down.

 

[MileHigh]

Why do we have such idiotic politicians. Can I vote for: NONE OF THE BAFOONS ABOVE!

Smitherman's plan is in reality: DO NOTHING for 4 years in her first term. All of the projects he mentions in phase 1 are already FUNDED and construction has either begun (Spadina, Sheppard) or will begin shortly (Cherry St LRT).

His plan does nothing for downtown Toronto, where capacity is at 100%. Not a single candidate would build or even start studying the DRL more closely.

Also, I think I read in the York Region newspaper that Spadina Extension is delayed until 2018? WTF? It just started construction and already delayed by 3yrs?

Toronto will get a black eye on national stage in 5yrs during the Pan Am games when the media spotlight will focus on our great 1970's transit system that it bursting at the seams downtown with no improvement in sight.

I agree 100%

 

[hbl33]

Now I see even 416ers bashing once-lauded Smitherman (McGuilty's lapdog).

What are your choices left then?
Rocco Rossi?
Thomson?
Rob Ford? (I still haven't seen his transit plan)
Say goodbye to Pantalone! and Mammoliti!

 

[Towered]

Smitherman's plan is utterly lame, same as the other candidates. The more I see of this transit planning idiocy from this bunch, the more I think it should be left entirely up to Metrolinx.

 

[kEiThZ]

I wish. Average people are far too self centred and ignorant to listen to this. The real reason they want a subway near the house? To increase your property value.

Wrong. I would say convenience. Most people I know bitch about the transfers and how long it takes to get downtown from Scarborough. I have yet to hear a single person complain about the lack of subways hurting their property values.

That kind of cynicism is over the top.