Toronto Crosstown LRT | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx | Arcadis

[W. K. Lis]

From the Toronto Eglinton Crosstown LRT website:

On September 2, 2009, the TTC and City of Toronto hosted an additional Open House for the second round of consultation to display the preferred route of the LRT from Martin Grove Road to Pearson International Airport. Plans for stop locations and potential construction methods for this section were also displayed.

The Public Consultants Reports from that open house can be reviewed by downloading the PDF from this link at September 2009.



You can review the previous reports from June and July 2009 as well, along with the way back one from August and September 2008, if you missed them.

 

[W. K. Lis]

There is a REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LRT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT STUDY in PDF available for download from the TTC website at this link. It will be discussed at the next TTC commissioners meeting on November 17th.

From that PDF is this schedule:

Schedule
The Transit Project Assessment process will be completed in May 2010. Following this process, TTC will proceed with procurement of tunnel boring machines. During Summer 2010, TTC plans to proceed with construction of a section of the surface alignment (location to be determined) and will tender a construction contract for the west portal area (at Black Creek) in Fall 2010.

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT will be implemented in three stages:

1. Stage 1: Commerce Stop to Eglinton West Station – 2016,
2. Stage 2: Eglinton West Station to Kennedy Station – 2018, and
3. Stage 3: Commerce Stop to Pearson International Airport – 2020.

Typical Station:

It shows how two LRV's would initially fit, and with reserve expansion available for 3 LRV's. The station also shows the available room there would be to expand it from "services" to the same length as a current HRT subway station, about 5 LRV's in length).

 

[hbl33]

There is a REQUEST FOR APPROVAL OF THE EGLINTON CROSSTOWN LRT TRANSIT PROJECT ASSESSMENT STUDY in PDF available for download from the TTC website at this link. It will be discussed at the next TTC commissioners meeting on November 17th.

From that PDF is this schedule:



Typical Station:

It shows how two LRV's would initially fit, and with reserve expansion available for 3 LRV's. The station also shows the available room there would be to expand it from "services" to the same length as a current HRT subway station, about 5 LRV's in length).

It is shame that it takes that long to finish the whole leg of Eglinton; Sauga BRT will be operation effective in 2012 and that is four year gap between the two. The good thing though, is the plan is set firmly as it is, even at a cost of late opportunity. TTC actually proposed a stop that is long as a Harbourfront stop for up to 5 LRVS, giving a subway-like capacity at a cost of LRT. That said, how would the fare system work in the station? Just like typical streetcars? Or an automated fare collection gate?

While the LRT operation is underway, in meantime would any bus routes from T.O. operate at Sauga BRT terminus as a hub?

 

[Ansem]

I guess that makes Don Mills underground...

 

[kettal]

Here's hoping they do a good job of this one, and don't screw up like St Clair. It's all very exciting!

 

[Voltz]

I would have liked to see the single bore tunnel design used, but the twin tunnel with cut and cover stations is shown above.

 

[DavidH]

I guess that makes Don Mills underground...

The document very explicitly states that it will be.

 

[whatever]

I wonder what the cost of building two portals is compared to the cost of just leaving it underground all the way to Don Mills. For the improved reliability I would've thought it worthwhile to pay a little extra and leave it buried for that stretch. Or is there a problem with tunneling there because of the soil conditions and proximity to the Don Valley?

 

[Eug]

Hmmm... In retrospect that staged timeframe does make sense, but until now I had n00bishly thought they might focus on the underground subway sections for both the east and west parts at the same time, and would have done the above ground east section later.

Of course, if this were another country, both the west and the east sections of the entire line would be done simultaneously.

 

[Swarley]

According to the draft EPR the TTC is proposing a 7-bay bus terminal at the northeast corner of Don Mills and Eglinton.... two LRT lines! Am I missing something or does this make no sense at all? The TTC even says there won't be any local bus service along Eglinton.

 

[Voltz]

According to the draft EPR the TTC is proposing a 7-bay bus terminal at the northeast corner of Don Mills and Eglinton.... two LRT lines! Am I missing something or does this make no sense at all? The TTC even says there won't be any local bus service along Eglinton.

Lawrence East and Leslie buses will terminate here, another route or two may run through as well, plus Don Mills buses will continue to operate for a while.

 

[Darwinkgo]

I wonder what the cost of building two portals is compared to the cost of just leaving it underground all the way to Don Mills. For the improved reliability I would've thought it worthwhile to pay a little extra and leave it buried for that stretch. Or is there a problem with tunneling there because of the soil conditions and proximity to the Don Valley?

If it was just a tunnel that might make sense, but an extra underground station (at Leslie) is a big big cost. That being said, between those two portals the LRT should not run in the centre of the road. For little extra cost (a pedestrian under or overpass to the far platform at Leslie station) you could have the LRT in reserved corridor until after Don Mills.

 

[nfitz]

I wonder what the cost of building two portals is compared to the cost of just leaving it underground all the way to Don Mills. For the improved reliability I would've thought it worthwhile to pay a little extra and leave it buried for that stretch. Or is there a problem with tunneling there because of the soil conditions and proximity to the Don Valley?

If you look at the topography, the problem is the Don River crossing and the Don Valley. Essentially it will come out of the tunnel for the Don Valley crossing. The only problem is the Leslie intersection.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Interesting tidbit about the special trackwork that the line could have:

Special Track Work

Proposed locations for operational crossover tracks are:

between Commerce Boulevard and Renforth Drive;
east of Martin Grove Stop;
west of incott/Bemersyde Stop;
between CNR/CPR rail line and TTC Maintenance and Storage yard;
between TTC Maintenance and Storage yard and Black Creek Stop;
east of Keele Station;
east of Eglinton West Station;
east of Eglinton Station;
west of Laird Station;
and east of Pharmacy Stop.


Proposed locations for tail tracks or storage tracks are:

north of Silver Dart Stop,
north of Commerce Boulevard,
west of Islington Stop;
east of Jane Stop;
west of Keele Station;
west of Eglinton West Station;
west of Eglinton Station;
east of Laird Station;
and west of Don Mills Station.

Just wondering how many cars the tail tracks could hold. 3? 4? or 5? Most likely the underground ones will hold 5, and the outdoor ones will hold 3 (to start).

 

[Asterix]

If you look at the topography, the problem is the Don River crossing and the Don Valley. Essentially it will come out of the tunnel for the Don Valley crossing. The only problem is the Leslie intersection.

And the railway overpass.

There also isn't a heck of a lot of room along the south side of Eglinton at that point for two sets of tracks. That's a pretty steep hill on the other side of the guardrail.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...mO4yxL8nXXoAqmfvczlz3g&cbp=12,155.01,,0,18.24