Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx

[Automation Gallery]

Toronto City Council has voted to pass its motion supporting the Yonge North EA, however, with two important amendments. First, a recommendation that Metrolinx move the Downtown Relief Line into its 15-year plan, and further to that, to place it ahead of the Yonge Subway extension to Richmond Hill.

On the wrong track, but still time to change trains

The third proposed project in the corridor is the Downtown Relief Line. This proposed subway would run from Pape Station south to Eastern Ave., then along the CN railway alignment to Union Station and northwest to the Dundas West station. Metrolinx included this subway line in its Big Move plan for completion within 25 years, but excluded it from the 15-year plan. This subway is designed to relieve the dangerously congested Yonge-Bloor transfer point, and would provide a faster route to downtown from both east and west. Several Toronto city councillors have recently called for this line to be given top priority for quick completion

While Metrolinx objects that electrification of the train service along this corridor would be more expensive, that is true only if the projects are undertaken separately. If we build this as one project instead of three, and see it as Toronto's fourth subway line, it becomes feasible.

Environmental assessments should consider whether there are better alternatives to what is proposed. Luckily, in this case, there are. They should be considered seriously.

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/644565

 

[junctionist]

Sounds nice, but it's still only a recommendation, and a meaningless one at that since it's not ahead of the Yonge extension.

It can essentially be placed ahead by recommendation since Toronto has planned and operated the subway since its opening giving the city leverage. The system is firstly Toronto's public transportation backbone.

 

[GenerationW]

It can essentially be placed ahead by recommendation since Toronto has planned and operated the subway since its opening giving the city leverage.

But does anyone really think that will happen? While I'm certainly no expert, the way I'm reading the tea leaves is that the Y-U-S extensions will be built first, and only after that will there be a push for a DRL. I think the TTC wants to limit subway construction in the next decade to these extensions so that they can concentrate most of their attention on implementing as much of Transit City as possible.

The ironic thing is that if the TTC and City wanted to push for a very aggressive subway expansion over the next decade, I think they could get enough help from the Province and Ottawa to fund most if not all of their plans. This massive deficit spending by these governments won't last forever and I think the City/TTC is wasting a golden opportunity. Putting in LRTs after such a subway expansion would be a breeze compared to building LRTs now and adding or converting them to subways later.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Considering that the recommendation was to Metrolinx and its Board has not met while the organization was being restructured, I'd say we should wait until they meet again before we decide what happens.

 

[Second_in_pie]

The ironic thing is that if the TTC and City wanted to push for a very aggressive subway expansion over the next decade, I think they could get enough help from the Province and Ottawa to fund most if not all of their plans. This massive deficit spending by these governments won't last forever and I think the City/TTC is wasting a golden opportunity. Putting in LRTs after such a subway expansion would be a breeze compared to building LRTs now and adding or converting them to subways later.

I agree. We have a good premier, and I'm pretty sure our next one won't be a Harris. If we asked for some federal funding for a line like Eglinton, we would probably get it as well.

If the TTC was pushing for fully completed Sheppard, DRL and Eglinton Crosstown subways right now, I think they have a reasonable chance of getting funding for all of them. Prehaps they would have to be done in phases, like DRL East, Sheppard East, and the middle of Eglinton, but I think the province and even the feds would be willing to fund it. We would probably also be able to fit in some other TC lines, like Don Mills, Waterfront West and Finch West.

I'm not sure if I'm dreaming or not right now, but it sure sounds cool and doable.

 

[junctionist]

Interestingly enough at the time when Transit City plans were first released there was a lot of skepticism whether or not the province would even approve funding for the massive LRT plan. There was that large deficit the province had emphasized was the reason they were breaking their election promises, and the urban defeatism which set in with the Harris Conservatives in power for so long.

 

[GenerationW]

Considering that the recommendation was to Metrolinx and its Board has not met while the organization was being restructured, I'd say we should wait until they meet again before we decide what happens.

Well I'm sure we'll all agree to stop speculating until that happens, but just out of curiosity, when do they next meet?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

It is not a coincidence that Transit City was released, rewriting transit plans and the official plan, like 5 seconds before the province announced tens of billions in new funding.

 

[299 bloor call control.]

There's a board meeting scheduled for the end of this month, the first of the new board. From what I know, the Eglinton benefits case should be brought before the board then, as it should already be complete.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Michael Thompson (future Toronto mayor?)

Pushing up the downtown relief line

A Toronto councillor is trying to generate momentum for a new downtown subway line by convincing fresh-faced Metrolinx board members that accelerating the project so it piggybacks on planned commuter rail links will save big bucks.

Michael Thompson (Scarborough Centre) said building the so-called downtown relief line at the same time as GO Transit extends its Georgetown service could save $900 million.

He envisions the western flank of the U-shaped subway line swooping into the core from either side of the Bloor-Danforth line following the path of the Georgetown rail corridor and overlapping in parts to provide new hubs. Liberty Village, for example, could have both a GO stop and a subway station, creating premium access to a major employment zone and residential neighbourhood.

As a revamped Metrolinx board met for the first time yesterday, Mr. Thompson sent a detailed cost-analysis yesterday to Robert Prichard, the new chair.

“It’s really bringing it to their attention, given that they are looking at prioritizing some of their to-do list,” Mr. Thompson said. “It’s something the should have been done years ago but wasn’t done. I don’t want Metrolinx and our transit authority to continue to make this mistake by not proceeding with it.”

More.....http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...7/13/pushing-up-the-downtown-relief-line.aspx

 

[Ansem]

He makes a lot of sense.

I hope they listen to him.
We need that line ASAP

 

[Edward]

Problem is he is talking about the Georgetown line which is in the west end while the DRL is initially planned for the east end.

 

[Second_in_pie]

Sure it "saves big bucks" using the Georgetown Corridor, but it might not actually be the best option. Of course, when I say that I mean that it might not actually be the best option for the route of the subway. From a "how much money can we save" perspective, of course it's going to beat a couple kilometers of tunneling.

I'm hoping the TTC doesn't screw up this line in an attempt to save as much money as possible building it. Just watch. For the east end, somebody is going to propose saving money on all that expensive tunneling by following the Lakeshore line all the way to Main St. station, with minimal stops "to keep it an express line."

 

[Dan416]

IIRC the western leg of the DRL was always supposed to follow the rail corridor for the most part.

 

[kEiThZ]

For the east end, somebody is going to propose saving money on all that expensive tunneling by following the Lakeshore line all the way to Main St. station, with minimal stops "to keep it an express line."

That might not be as bad as it sounds. It would provide relief to Yonge/Bloor (the train does get decently full by Main with most riders bound for the core) while opening up more subway stops along the southern edge of the city.