Toronto Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown West Extension | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx

I don't think Sherway will ever get a subway. You'd have to make it underground and it only made sense in the context of a subway to Mississauga which for some reason they preferred a shitty bus highway serving nobody that's basically closes at 11pm.
it's about a 3.5km extension, and about 2km of that would be on the surface along the CP rail corridor. Only the last 1.5km or so would be tunneled to get down to Sherway.
 
Why? The area between Kipling Station and Sherway Gardens is mostly industrial and commercial. It would likely continue on the surface to follow the railroad west of Kipling Station to at least Highway 427. Unless someone would be upset that a few big box stores maybe bulldozed. A few underpasses or bridges, but mostly surface running.
The only issue I could see here is potential difficulties getting property owners to part with the property that the subway would have to run on.

Conceptually, the idea of a subway running underground to avoid bulldozing a sprawling industrial wasteland is absolutely ludicrous and would constitute probably the single biggest waste of money in this city's entire history.
 
Conceptually, the idea of a subway running underground to avoid bulldozing a sprawling industrial wasteland is absolutely ludicrous and would constitute probably the single biggest waste of money in this city's entire history.
You mean a bigger waste of money then tunneling the University extension 100% to Vaughan? Or the Scarborough subway extension? Or the Crosstown West extension?

We here in Toronto, Ontario love wasting money needlessly on unnecessary subway tunneling expenses. But in this case, the only practical way of reaching the final Sherway leg would be by tunneling.
 
But in this case, the only practical way of reaching the final Sherway leg would be by tunneling.

I can see how tunneling the final leg to Sherway would be the solution if we wanted to have the station situated directly under the middle of the mall. If we wanted to situate it on the northern, eastern or western fringes of the property, there are lots that could serve as a would be location for an above ground terminus. I don't know the geology of the land, but at a quick glance my favoured location would be here (in a dug out trench?), with the far southern end of the parking lot being the far southern end of the station. And anyhow, even if that one portion of the line was tunneled, it would beat tunneling the whole thing, surely.

1668615298554.png
 
A Sherway extension can wait until the development actually happens..

The Queensway streetcar - a route where the development is already under way - would be a fast cheap and sufficient solution for another decade.

By then, there could be a 2WAD Milton line GO stop in the works.

And if the subway is extended - why not build elevated over all that industrial zone ? The cost may be better than even cut and cover, especially since there is little need for stations for the near term.

- Paul
 
The other twist in my mind would be a Queensway streetcar, but extending the subway as far as Queensway through the Obico lands. Which would also mesh nicely with the ideas relating to any 427 line actually being an OL extension.

On the one hand, this isn’t really much shorter than getting all the way to Sherway, but it is all on the surface. Which basically amounts to me thinking that this does only make sense if an Obico yard actually happens.
 
A Sherway extension can wait until the development actually happens..

The Queensway streetcar - a route where the development is already under way - would be a fast cheap and sufficient solution for another decade.

By then, there could be a 2WAD Milton line GO stop in the works.

And if the subway is extended - why not build elevated over all that industrial zone ? The cost may be better than even cut and cover, especially since there is little need for stations for the near term.

- Paul
In China, they built a metro and station out into fields. Development came after. That's what we should be doing, developing the farms or low-density surrounding the new stations to high-density MIXED development.

Should be doing the same around the Line 5 West extension stations. Basically, any parking lot along Eglinton Avenue West (and East) would be ripe for higher density mixed development.
 
Last edited:
A Sherway extension can wait until the development actually happens..
That said, extending to Sherway is an interesting thought - presumably as an elevated spur down the 427. Then Line 5 would have a good interchange with Line 2, and into Long Branch - allowing for good connections from the western GTA to both the airport area, and into northwest Toronto.

Though I thought that was what the Ontario Line was supposed to deliver - I don't really seeing it being a Crosstown West issue.
 
In China, they built a metro and station out into fields. Development came after. That's what we should be doing, developing the farms or low-density surrounding the new stations to high-density MIXED development.

Should be doing the same around the Line 5 West extension stations. Basically, any parking lot along Eglinton Avenue West (and East) would be ripe for higher density mixed development.

If it is greenfield, it shouldn't even be underground. Worst case in a trench that can optionally be decked over.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PL1
In China, they built a metro and station out into fields. Development came after. That's what we should be doing, developing the farms or low-density surrounding the new stations to high-density MIXED development.

We did exactly this with the waterfront, building parks first in order to boost the land value when Waterfront Toronto sold the land to developers. Chinese governments own the land (all land, everywhere) and lease it after building infrastructure to pump up the developer bids. Chinese government also parcels out land linearly; a developer cannot build somewhere else because this parcel with this station is the only land available. Ontario pre-building would be very high risk as there is no guarantee development would follow.

What we can do is plan and zone in transit corridors in advance, then set a population threshold when construction would begin. This makes it possible to construct a line without expropriation or worrying about obstructions (utilities/buildings) but still hold back large investment until after the new neighbourhood has proven interest by the public.
 
We did exactly this with the waterfront, building parks first in order to boost the land value when Waterfront Toronto sold the land to developers. Chinese governments own the land (all land, everywhere) and lease it after building infrastructure to pump up the developer bids. Chinese government also parcels out land linearly; a developer cannot build somewhere else because this parcel with this station is the only land available. Ontario pre-building would be very high risk as there is no guarantee development would follow.

What we can do is plan and zone in transit corridors in advance, then set a population threshold when construction would begin. This makes it possible to construct a line without expropriation or worrying about obstructions (utilities/buildings) but still hold back large investment until after the new neighbourhood has proven interest by the public.
We COULD use holding zones, urban area boundaries and OP policies to much the same effect in terms of directing the next area for greenfield development much more tightly within the existing framework…

Mind you, the current government is ordering Hamilton to do the precise opposite.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: PL1
Why? The area between Kipling Station and Sherway Gardens is mostly industrial and commercial. It would likely continue on the surface to follow the railroad west of Kipling Station to at least Highway 427. Unless someone would be upset that a few big box stores maybe bulldozed. A few underpasses or bridges, but mostly surface running.

From link.
View attachment 439462

The Queensway east of Kipling Avenue is slowing adding condo buildings, making it perfect for a 501 streetcar right-of-way extension to serve the new residents.

Don't forget about the Sherway Gardens redevelopment. See link. Many of those big box stores in the area could be redeveloped into higher density mixed-use developments.
sherway-gardens-redevelopment-01.jpg
I remember hearing the area between don mills station and STC was considered too low density to consider extending line 4, but I guess a councilor this week said they were going to do it so who really knows?

In the past when an extension was mentioned to the mall there was always talk of extending to Mississauga. I think it would be a great idea to run an extension there but I think they city won't want to pay for it due to low density even with future plans.
 

Back
Top