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

[Rainforest]

I always say "buses are for chumps" and many people agree with me. It's one thing to take the subway or a streetcar to work, but there are lots of people who draw the line at a bus. They're noisy, bounce around and generally make for an unpleasant ride.

Well, I happen to disagree

I ride buses and subway every workday, and streetcars occasionally. To me, an express bus is better than streetcar. A regular all-stop bus is in the same league as streetcar.

What really matters for me is travel time and frequency; don't want to wait a long time for the vehicle to show up. And, of course I prefer the vehicles not to be crowded.

Whether it runs on steel wheels or on rubber wheels, is not relevant at all.

 

[Rainforest]

I'd be surprised if the traffic doubles or more. Certainly not in the short term (say 10 years). How many more people will take Eglinton once the LRT opens versus the number that take it now on the many buses coming here daily? Certainly there will be growth but how much. Another thing that will change. People will now be able to go straight from the Eglinton platform to the Yonge platform without having to walk from the bus bays. That will reduce crowding within the upper level of the station.

One source of additional demand is the riders who travel east to west and west to east, across Yonge.

At present, their options are either taking the closest E-W bus, or going down to Bloor - Danforth and taking the BD subway.

With Eglinton LRT in place, many will find that the fastest option is to take a short N-S bus ride from their origin to Eglinton, board the LRT, and then take another short N-S bus ride to their destination.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Do I still qualify as a downtown elitist if I live on Eglinton?

We're midtown elitists.

 

[W. K. Lis]

We're midtown elitists.

Isn't the Empire State Building in New York City located in "midtown"? Even Times Square in New York City is located in "midtown", not "downtown".

 

[sixrings]

I always say "buses are for chumps" and many people agree with me. It's one thing to take the subway or a streetcar to work, but there are lots of people who draw the line at a bus. They're noisy, bounce around and generally make for an unpleasant ride.

I don't disagree and i am sure many people think the same way. It is why the kiss and rides are full. Its why i know people who will take the subway but never the bus. Study after study shows that people prefer the ride of rail transit whether streetcar lrt or subway over busses. It is why i supported transit city with a DRL of course.

 

[sixrings]

Cool, lots of UT forum posters living on Eglinton. Although if you live near Eg West station, I'd think going up to Yorkdale or downtown to Bloor-Bay or Eaton Centre would be a better mall & theater than Yonge-Eg centre.

I'm surprised it's that full, assuming you're going to a movie at night.

I enjoy Yonge and eglinton because there's still the mall but there are outdoor stores as well. A good mix. The movie theatre tends to be less busy than Yorkdale and scotiabank formerly paramount is just a little far. I don't mind manulife centre. Anyways the bus is busy quite often which is why i simply just stopped taking it or drive. However i do subway to Yorkdale or downtown.

 

[smallspy]

That's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Unfortunately the tunnel clearances on Yonge Line are too small and the tunnel is too close to the tunnel expand it. But this would work on Eglinton Line. I wonder if it's too late to modify the LRV order to facilitate riding on the top of the vehicle. Perhaps Smallspy can provide some input. Smallspy?

Do you want the serious answer, or the one that makes it look like I stump for the Monster Raving Loony Party?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Johnny Au]

Cool, lots of UT forum posters living on Eglinton. Although if you live near Eg West station, I'd think going up to Yorkdale or downtown to Bloor-Bay or Eaton Centre would be a better mall & theater than Yonge-Eg centre.

I'm surprised it's that full, assuming you're going to a movie at night.

I live within walking distance of both Eglinton West and Glencairn stations.

@TTM:

Sometimes, the 32 Eglinton West bus from Eglinton station can be packed like sardines to the point that I intentionally miss those buses and wait for a less crowded bus.

 

[BurlOak]

The EA identifies in Section 4.1.4.1 (Exhibit 161) that the current (2009) Peak Hour Ridership of the TTC buses arriving at Eglinton Station is 4,941 riders. Presumably some do stuff like change from Eglinton West to Eglinton East.

Then in in Exhibit 5-1 of Appendix N they show that the 2031 Peak Hour arrivals at Eglinton station on the LRT is 9,100 - though like the buses, some will stay on the train. So that's almost double. Combined with future development/growth in the neighbourhood, I wouldn't be surprised if there is double the 2009 ridership on the Yonge platforms of the existing Eglinton station. Looking at recent reports, ridership has already increased 10% since 2009, being 70,720 a day in 2009/2010 compared to 78,770 currently (2013).

So 140,000 if doubled? Trebling is I admit pushing it, the more I look at the numbers.

From the June 2012 Metrolinx Study, about 3,000 riders from the east and 2,500 fron the west will transfer to Yonge = 5,500. Thus, from the currnet bus (your 4,900 number), the increase is about 10%. (Those on the trains at the Yonge are about 6k and 4k on westbound and east bound)
Even if the SRT is interlined through Kennedy, it is about 6,000 from east and 3,000 from west = 9,000. (Those on the trains at the Yonge are about 11k and 7k on westbound and east bound)

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Do you want the serious answer, or the one that makes it look like I stump for the Monster Raving Loony Party?

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

If there actually is a way to facilitate this, I'd love to hear your serious answer

Otherwise, I'll take the one that makes you look like you stump for the Monster Raving Loony Party

 

[nfitz]

From the June 2012 Metrolinx Study, about 3,000 riders from the east and 2,500 fron the west will transfer to Yonge = 5,500. Thus, from the currnet bus (your 4,900 number), the increase is about 10%.

Hang on. 4,900 is bus arrivals at Eglinton. It isn't those that transfer to the subway. It also includes those that end their trip at Eglinton (it's a major employment node, and there is a big high school there as well), and those that transfer from one bus to another. The 4,900 is comparable to the 9,100 numbre I quoted before.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

I don't disagree and i am sure many people think the same way. It is why the kiss and rides are full. Its why i know people who will take the subway but never the bus. Study after study shows that people prefer the ride of rail transit whether streetcar lrt or subway over busses. It is why i supported transit city with a DRL of course.

I think this mentality is especially evident in the wealthier neighborhoods adjacent to the LRT through the central portion.

@Nfitz, students heading to North Toronto Secondary would typically get off at Redpath or Yonge bus stop, not continue to Eglinton Station.

Let's also not forget all the condo development occurring in the Yonge-Eglinton area. That will generate substantially more walk-in boardings at Yonge-Eglinton station in the future.

 

[nfitz]

@Nfitz, students heading to North Toronto Secondary would typically get off at Redpath or Yonge bus stop, not continue to Eglinton Station.

Do you think there was enough granularity in the TTC passenger count to separate those out? TTC passenger counts are to determine peak load and service frequency. Whether they get off at Yonge Street, or in the station (do the buses from the west stop at Yonge Street? I've only come in from the east.) TTC wouldn't care - unless there are lot of people boarding at Yonge!

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Frankly, I have no clue how these kind of passenger counts are made.

The logical place to conduct a passenger count would be at the terminus/destination of the bus route (which is Eglinton station) no?

Buses from the west turn on Duplex into the station.

 

[nfitz]

The logical place to conduct a passenger count would be at the terminus/destination of the bus route (which is Eglinton station) no?

Not if a lot of people get off the stop before. The peak count is generally done at the busiest point. If you don't count there, you understimate ridership.