Burying the LRT from Nanwood, say would not cost $10 million extra but more like $200-300 million or more extra as per the per km cost of subways in other nearby jurisdictions. Also, going underground is just as, if not more, disruptive as surface construction and even more time consuming. They're not going to TBM 1km. They'll have to use cut & cover methods. How disruptive would that be!!
As for alternative routing, anyone in a car driving from Four Corners to Shoppers World isn't diverting to Kennedy or Mclaughlin. They're driving straight down Main as it's the fastest, most direct route. Diverting the LRT puts it at a disadvantage to driving, which discourages ridership.
Besides, with the Go network improvements in the pipeline, why deliberately disconnect Brampton Go, as a mobility hub, from the network moving north-south? And how the hell would we then be thinking about LRT on Queen & not connect that with an LRT on Main at 4 Corners?? And is Sheridan College really enough of a trip generator for LRT??
I hear the NIMBYs & the heritage argument, but the LRT can actually add to that feel while boosting development potential in the DT itself for those struggling businesses.
This LRT on Main to DT Brampton makes sense in a lot of ways...