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

I thought there were a bunch of sewer and other infrastructure relocates that still needed to happen above some of the bored tunnels?

When bored (as opposed to cut-and-cover), the tunnels are usually below the sewer, water pipes, electrical and communication conduits. It's cut-and-cover down to the stations that causes problems.
 
When bored (as opposed to cut-and-cover), the tunnels are usually below the sewer, water pipes, electrical and communication conduits. It's cut-and-cover down to the stations that causes problems.

Which includes not only the station excavations but any shafts for fire, utilities, etc located part way between stations.

- Paul
 
I think the chances of any changes to this portion are extremely low.

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I think the chances of any changes to this portion are extremely low.

View attachment 449018

I live in the area of Jane & Eglinton & Scarlett Road. The overhead rail guideway will not be in the floodplain, but on top of the northside grassy Eglinton berm (which was "fill") where the sidewalk is currently.
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From link.

That berm was originally for the Richview Expressway (3 lanes in each direction), from 427 to a 400 south extension. It was a left over, so they are using it for the LRT.
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From link.
 
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The NIMBYs just never stop. The irony of the 4 lane road being completely fine. But a single pillar guidway for transit is the deal breaker. And yes trees will need to be removed, but if you want anything built in society that is required. Thank goodness ford passed the building transit faster act.
Blows my mind how some people overvalue a few trees. This transit project will do way more for the environment than these tress will ever do. There are a ton of trees nearby, and doesn’t Metrolinx do something like a 9 to 1 replacement for trees that are cut?
 
Blows my mind how some people overvalue a few trees. This transit project will do way more for the environment than these tress will ever do. There are a ton of trees nearby, and doesn’t Metrolinx do something like a 9 to 1 replacement for trees that are cut?
Normally I assume this sort of stuff is a grift, but in this case I can see the construction and thousands of trees being cut affecting their use and enjoyment of the space.
 
Normally I assume this sort of stuff is a grift, but in this case I can see the construction and thousands of trees being cut affecting their use and enjoyment of the space.
I am not sure where the NIMBYs got thousands from, but the area where trees may be cut (with a high replacement ratio) is a tiny fraction of Eglinton Flats, and beside a high-speed motorway. It will not impact their enjoyment and use of the space.

I‘ve highlighted the cutting area in the entire context of Eglinton Flats. Note that there aren’t a ton of trees to begin with in this area.
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The line won’t be tunnelled without well over a billion in new costs. The western tunnel contract (underway) includes the portal near Scarlett, which would have to be massively redesigned to dive under the Humber River. The Mount Dennis tunnel is currently being tendered.

This money to redesign the project could easily fund other transit project. A few loud local voices shouldn’t waste precious transit dollars so they don’t have to look at a train. Electric trains are not disruptive.
 
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I am not sure where the NIMBYs got thousands from, but the area where trees may be cut (with a high replacement ratio) is a tiny fraction of Eglinton Flats, and beside a high-speed motorway. It will not impact their enjoyment and use of the space.

I‘ve highlighted the cutting area in the entire context of Eglinton Flats. Note that there aren’t a ton of trees to begin with in this area.
View attachment 449225

The line won’t be tunnelled without well over a billion in new costs. The western tunnel contract (underway) includes the portal near Scarlett, which would have to be massively redesigned to dive under the Humber River. The Mount Dennis tunnel is currently being tendered.

This money to redesign the project could easily fund other transit project. A few loud local voices shouldn’t waste precious transit dollars so they don’t have to look at a train. Electric trains are not disruptive.
What section does the native group in the story lease? a newly planted tree is nothing compared to a mature one
 
I ask again, why can we not build the tracks in the roadway, as in Scarborough? Why is every option for rapid transit in this damn city one megalomaniacal overbuilding option vs another?
 
On a purely technical level, an elevated crossing is a no-brainer and an underground design would be engineering and construction hell.

The most constructive path forward is - instead of blockading, challenge the objectors to obtain a technical opinion describing how an underground routing would work and a general estimate of cost. I suspect few engineers would be in favour of a tunnel. And even if it were feasible, the question for the objectors would be - which would you rather have, the extra billion dollars in a grant you can use for other things, or we waste the same money on the underground solution.

There are well-intentioned (but technically uninformed) people in the mix here, but I do think the issue is being fed by emotion and not common sense.

Being a traditional carrying route, and given that waterways do have more prominence in treaties, the Indigenous viewpoint does carry some stature. As usual, Metrolinx’ public outreach here was heavyhanded - roll out a polished plan that you have no intention of varying or backing away from, and then stonewall in the face of community reaction. Perhaps the blockade threat has elements of loose cannons and/or shakedown, but ML could have foreseen concerns and approached this better.

Democracy is awkward, but I would not give the engineers unfettered right to plan projects without public input. If that input process is messy, so be it.

- Paul
 
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