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

[gweed123]

So if they decide to approved Eglinton West, do they negotiate with CrossLinx to add it to their contract? That's a no-brainer. The EA is already done and you already have a contractor....didn't they speculate yesterday that the Feds want to fast-track some infrastructure $$s for shovel ready projects to help the economy? We could have Eglinton West open with the rest of the line.

That's an interesting point. That would require a lot of coordination with work crews, material orders, etc though. You're more than doubling the amount of surface track required, and on the complete opposite end of the construction zone. Not saying it can't be done, but there would need to be some serious negotiating and allocation shifting/adding taking place in order to make that happen.

 

[hawc]

So, do we think SmartTrack is really going to happen or is still Tory's personal little election pipe dream? Is it real? When will we know there's no going back and SmartTrack is happening?

 

[nfitz]

So, do we think SmartTrack is really going to happen or is still Tory's personal little election pipe dream? Is it real?

It is real, and it will happen.

But what will it be.

If SmartTrack becomes nothing more than Phase 2 of the Eglinton line, and a couple of extra GO stations on an electrified 15-minute RER service, then, each will be branded SmartTrack, and Tory will proclaim that he achieved his goal!

It's not so much will it happen ... but what will it be. And the article in today's Globe indicates that it's moving in the right direction. And hopefully, the saved money, will allow the first stage of the DRL to proceed.

 

[jcam]

That's an interesting point. That would require a lot of coordination with work crews, material orders, etc though. You're more than doubling the amount of surface track required, and on the complete opposite end of the construction zone. Not saying it can't be done, but there would need to be some serious negotiating and allocation shifting/adding taking place in order to make that happen.

I'm not necessarily suggesting construction would be completed in the same timeframe, but at least under the same contract. They could could simply shift the same crews after and just expand the Mount Dennis terminal construction to extend to the a tunnel exit approaching Jane. They could phase the surface construction after the east. The main reason to tie it in is the maintenance contract that runs out 25-30 years...doesn't make sense to have another contractor in there.

 

[gweed123]

I'm not necessarily suggesting construction would be completed in the same timeframe, but at least under the same contract. They could could simply shift the same crews after and just expand the Mount Dennis terminal construction to extend to the a tunnel exit approaching Jane. They could phase the surface construction after the east. The main reason to tie it in is the maintenance contract that runs out 25-30 years...doesn't make sense to have another contractor in there.

That's certainly an option, and yes it would make sense to have it under the same maintenance contract. If the City/Metrolinx are fine with a phased opening, I see no reason why it can't be done. It's strongly suspected that Ottawa will go the same route when it tenders Phase II of the Confederation Line.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

How would operations for the Eglinton West extension be like?

Short-turns at Mt. Dennis?

So we would be having two sets of trains, one that serves Airport <---> Kennedy, and a second that serves Mt. Dennis <---> Laird? The trains that do not short-turn will be running over 27km. Is that desirable?

Also, can someone link to the Eglinton Crosstown West extension EA?

 

[crs1026]

Also, can someone link to the Eglinton Crosstown West extension EA?

I'm not sure why there would be short turns planned. Nothing wrong with all trams going the full route, presumably there are turnbacks possible if things bunch up.

The original EA went all the way to Renforth. McGuinty later cut the project back to Mount Dennis.

http://thecrosstown.ca/the-project/reports/EglintonCrosstownLRTEnvironmentalProjectReport

A lot of other docs are on the Crosstown site also

http://www.thecrosstown.ca/the-project/reports

- Paul

 

[BurlOak]

That's an interesting point. That would require a lot of coordination with work crews, material orders, etc though. You're more than doubling the amount of surface track required, and on the complete opposite end of the construction zone. Not saying it can't be done, but there would need to be some serious negotiating and allocation shifting/adding taking place in order to make that happen.

I am assuming that the Eglinton West portion would be elevated, to achieve the original Tory goal of having a rapid, reliable, grade-separated connection to the airport area. As Shown elsewhere (Vancouver, Devenport estimates), elevation is so much faster that the interchange stations at Y-E would still be on the critical path. The contractor would have no problem doing this, although they would be in a stronger negotiating position than if we would have done it this way at the start.

 

[jcam]

I am assuming that the Eglinton West portion would be elevated, to achieve the original Tory goal of having a rapid, reliable, grade-separated connection to the airport area. As Shown elsewhere (Vancouver, Devenport estimates), elevation is so much faster that the interchange stations at Y-E would still be on the critical path. The contractor would have no problem doing this, although they would be in a stronger negotiating position than if we would have done it this way at the start.

If Eglinton East can stay at grade, then Eglinton West should be no different.

 

[nfitz]

If Eglinton East can stay at grade, then Eglinton West should be no different.

To be fair, they did choose to grade separate both Don Mills Road and Kennedy in the east, when they didn't have to from a road-width basis. It's no impossible that they might choose to also grade-separate 2 or 3 intersections in the east, such as Jane, Islington, and Kennedy.

 

[flyinggoats]

To be fair, they did choose to grade separate both Don Mills Road and Kennedy in the east, when they didn't have to from a road-width basis. It's no impossible that they might choose to also grade-separate 2 or 3 intersections in the east, such as Jane, Islington, and Kennedy.

I suspect that much of the LRT will be grade separated West of Scarlett Rd. The Humber River crossing could be done at grade using the existing bridge to save a lot of costs. A tunnel a Jane may not be feasible due to the area round Eglinton Flats being prone to flooding.

How would operations for the Eglinton West extension be like?

Short-turns at Mt. Dennis?

So we would be having two sets of trains, one that serves Airport <---> Kennedy, and a second that serves Mt. Dennis <---> Laird? The trains that do not short-turn will be running over 27km. Is that desirable?

Also, can someone link to the Eglinton Crosstown West extension EA?

Why not split it up as Airport <--> Laird, and Mt. Dennis <--> Kennedy?>

 

[nfitz]

I suspect that much of the LRT will be grade separated West of Scarlett Rd. The Humber River crossing could be done at grade using the existing bridge to save a lot of costs. A tunnel a Jane may not be feasible due to the area round Eglinton Flats being prone to flooding.

When Metrolinx was talking about terminating it at Jane instead of Mount Dennis, wasn't Jane elevated?

 

[GenerationW]

In fact it already exists.

“I built the subway in Scarborough.”
- Rob Ford

He usually says that he built subways, not just one.

And hopefully, the saved money, will allow the first stage of the DRL to proceed.

I'm sure that will be discussed at the next DRL public meeting in 2018.

How would operations for the Eglinton West extension be like?

Short-turns at Mt. Dennis?

So we would be having two sets of trains, one that serves Airport <---> Kennedy, and a second that serves Mt. Dennis <---> Laird? The trains that do not short-turn will be running over 27km. Is that desirable?

Would it not be Don Mills in that situation? Or would it have to be Laird because of that stupid Leslie stop?

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Why not split it up as Airport <--> Laird, and Mt. Dennis <--> Kennedy?>

I was thinking about this option too.

Would it not be Don Mills in that situation? Or would it have to be Laird because of that stupid Leslie stop?

Yes, it has to be Laird due to the stupidity of the Leslie stop. It could become Don Mills if the track is moved to the south side alignment at Leslie. That will be another fun expense to unnecessarily add to TTC's backlog in the future.

 

[W. K. Lis]

According to this map the Finch West LRT, they would have first go at the names for stops.

What stop names would the Eglinton Crosstown LRT have to use for "Martin Grove". Since "Kipling", "Islington", "Jane", and "Keele" are already taken by the 2 Bloor-Danforth Line, and can't be used by the Finch West LRT as well, what names would those stops on Eglinton be named?