Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s

Nobody is saying that Ford did not bungle the transit file. But it is undeniable that Council chose the path that we are currently on (egged on by the Provinical government) - not Ford. Council even proudly announced in 2012 that they took the transit file away from Ford. (in 2013, they took the rest of the powers away from him).

Council wouldn't have to chose any path if Ford hasn't opened up the can of worms in the first place. In any case, the head in the sand approach to transit in the core area over successive administrations is quite disappointing.

AoD
 
Metrolinx is recommending the DRL to be extended north to Sheppard:

c. The options to address Yonge Subway capacity in the long term were compared and assessed i. The Relief Line between the Danforth Subway and Downtown, currently under study by the City of Toronto and TTC, will provide significant relief to the Yonge Subway and Danforth Subway
ii. The extension of the Relief Line to north towards Sheppard Ave East will provide additional positive benefits


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf
 
Short and Medium Term Recommendations:

GO service modifications to be considered as part of RER development
• Increased frequencies • New stopping patterns including shuttles
• Longer service hours
• New stations

• Fare Policy to be considered as part of fare and service integration study
• Fare parity with TTC and GO
• Co-Fare GO/TTC/York
• Peak premium (or off-peak discount)

• Service integration
• TTC/GO connections
• Increased express bus routes, including to downtown
• Transit priorities


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf
 
Longer term projects were developed, assessed and compared:

Option 1 - RER Plus – Even More Improvements to the GO Network - with more frequency and potentially new stations to provide a high quality service in the Yonge corridor

Option 2 - Relief Line Options - fully grade separated with route and phasing options that include
2A Danforth to Downtown,
2B: Sheppard Subway to Downtown
2C Danforth to Bloor (through downtown)

Option 3: Surface Transit LRT - A new rapid transit corridor to provide a high quality, attractive alternative to travel on the Yonge Subway line


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf
 
Metrolinx is recommending the DRL to be extended north to Sheppard:

c. The options to address Yonge Subway capacity in the long term were compared and assessed i. The Relief Line between the Danforth Subway and Downtown, currently under study by the City of Toronto and TTC, will provide significant relief to the Yonge Subway and Danforth Subway
ii. The extension of the Relief Line to north towards Sheppard Ave East will provide additional positive benefits


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf

Given Toronto's transit planning history, this will no doubt morph into a proposal to run the DRL south from Sheppard to terminate at Eglinton in the south.
 
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Metrolinx is recommending the DRL to be extended north to Sheppard:

c. The options to address Yonge Subway capacity in the long term were compared and assessed i. The Relief Line between the Danforth Subway and Downtown, currently under study by the City of Toronto and TTC, will provide significant relief to the Yonge Subway and Danforth Subway
ii. The extension of the Relief Line to north towards Sheppard Ave East will provide additional positive benefits


http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf
Yes!! Now they should bring it to the new weston station on the crosstown!
 
The report frames a relief line like it has to be 100% surface or 100% underground. I would expect that future evaluation considers underground and surface combos, having the line underground north of Overlea Boulevard *edit: does not make much sense*, especially when you already have HOV lanes on Don Mills. Glad it's being talked about though!
 
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I would parse it a little differently - considering the recommendations (p. 3):

1.
Receive the findings of the Yonge Relief Network Study noting that:
a. Significant relief to the Yonge Subway will be achieved with currently committed transit improvements underway including:
i. TTC’s automatic train control and new subway trains;
ii. The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension; and
iii. GO Regional Express Rail

b. Based on 1(a) above, more rapid transit service and capacity that is currently funded and being implemented will meet the future 15 year demand,assuming current forecasts on the growth rate of downtown employment and the implementation of TTC automatic train control on the Yonge Subway

That sounds very much like a "let's study it some more and sit on the issue because it won't be a problem for a long time" - not exactly good news considering what we know about DRL planning historically.

What's also interesting is that RER+ (p. 25, 31) can be interpreted as basically the eastern leg of Smarttrak, and it's projected to provide very little in terms of relief.

AoD
 
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The DRL should definitely go all the way to Sheppard eventually. It would be a true alternative to Line 1 and be the default subway line in much of the eastern part of the city. And it would serve areas that can't be effectively served by RER.
 
The DRL should definitely go all the way to Sheppard eventually. It would be a true alternative to Line 1 and be the default subway line in much of the eastern part of the city. And it would serve areas that can't be effectively served by RER.

It does speak to the strength of the demand along the Yonge corridor. In any case, the continued reliance on ATC being the saviour of all things is a bit disturbing. I am not at all convinced that much of the improvement can be realized without a systematic effort to reduce platform crowding and other issues.

AoD
 
The report frames a relief line like it has to be 100% surface or 100% underground. I would expect that future evaluation considers underground and surface combos, having the line underground north of Overlea Boulevard *edit: does not make much sense*, especially when you already have HOV lanes on Don Mills. Glad it's being talked about though!

The DRL should definitely go all the way to Sheppard eventually. It would be a true alternative to Line 1 and be the default subway line in much of the eastern part of the city. And it would serve areas that can't be effectively served by RER.
It does speak to the strength of the demand along the Yonge corridor. In any case, the continued reliance on ATC being the saviour of all things is a bit disturbing. I am not at all convinced that much of the improvement can be realized without a systematic effort to reduce platform crowding and other issues.

AoD


Frankly, the DRL can come above groud after eglinton, if the demand lessens, but it should be built now. But following what Alvin said, it indicates that this is a long term project. Sadly.
 

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