Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s

[innsertnamehere]

York Region had the Mayor of Markham and Vaughan as well as the Regional chair at the announcement.

DRL Capacity using light rail vehicles depends a lot. I imagine they are going Montreal REM style - which can offer tons of capacity at 90 second frequencies. The trains are a bit smaller, but increased frequencies can make up the difference. Just gotta make sure they aren't building 40m platforms like the Canada line.

 

[steveintoronto]

Bet none of you saw that coming

Bet you many of us did, just not the Ontario Place aspect, which will almost inevitably be cancelled, or 'deferred'. I think Ford might find it difficult to get the Ferris Wheel through the tunnel.
The distance to OP would take the line up to Dundas West. You can bet yer little booties the "Ontario Line" to "Ontario Place" was Ford's own little touch to what is otherwise a Metrolinx plan. And Metrolinx are doing a slow burn,

 

[innsertnamehere]

So, is the Carlaw jog is gone?

it's likely just a simplification of the alignment for the purpose of the map.

I imagine that they will be modifying the approved EA for the initial sections, and speed run the EAs for the two ends that will now also be built.


My guess as to the alignment to Ontario Place judging by the map is that the line will run along Queen to Bathurst, down Bathurst, then along the Lakeshore West line to Exhibition GO where it will terminate (not actually at Ontario Place). That type of alignment isn't totally crazy and is still in relative walking distance to most west end destinations.

 

[Cobra]

Ontario Line: Can't argue that a line from Eglinton to the lake isn't a fantastic idea. Phase 1 of the Relief Line stopped at Pape and the writing was on the wall that it wouldn't solve the Yonge line issues. Going to Eglinton will definitely help intercepting the riders arriving from Scarborough via Eglinton. As for capacity, the Montreal Metro have narrow trains that move similar numbers as the Yonge Line...The trains will just have to be longer. (9 trains-set)

Relief Long: I live at Don Mills and Sheppard and used both 25 (reserved lanes) and 925 (Express)... I can tell you that it's pretty fast from Sheppard to Eglinton. I think a future extension under Victoria park would work while Don Mills is definitely large enough for LRT all the way to Steeles in the Future

Eglinton West: I agree with the line being 100% grade separated but should have been elevated wherever possible.

Finch West: Safe

Yonge Extension: As long as it opens AFTER the Ontario line, it's fine and Toronto gets extra stations at Cummer and Steeles.

Line 2 Extension: One Stop subway was always a ridiculous project. With 3 stops including 1 crossing the 401, you're reducing bus traffic significantly on McCowan Road. McCowan Station should have a bus terminal for lines north of the 401. This means that Scarborough Station bus terminal might actually be too big and will need to be reduced in scope.

Smarttrack: Hardly knew you... Dead and good riddance.

Waterfront LRT: You can forget the Ford Government on this one. The city will have to find a way to finance it itself or do a bilateral deal with the Federal Government. Otherwise, will have to wait for another provincial government to be willing to fund it (NDP or Liberals)

Sheppard East extension: Definitely not a priority but merits to be revisited in the 2030s. Won't be built by this government or the next.

GO RER: ??? This wasn't a GO announcement but I don't think it's completely dead. I think they proceed with Lakeshore East and West and defer the rest. You'll need a Liberal or NDP government to fully complete it.

Eglinton East LRT: Like the Waterfront LRT, the city will have to figure it out until this government is out of power or the Feds are willing to make a deal directly with the city.

 

[syn]

It doesn't need subway capacity if the terminus is Ontario Place, to be frank.

Crush peaks on this line may be a little bit of a squeeze soon after opening day, which is lamentable. Is it warranted though if it means that the line actually gets built?

It does if the goal is to service the eastern portion of downtown and relieve capacity on the Yonge Line over the long term.

 

[WislaHD]

GO RER: ??? This wasn't a GO announcement but I don't think it's completely dead. I think they proceed with Lakeshore East and West and defer the rest. You'll need a Liberal or NDP government to fully complete it.

Everyone commenting on this point, just wait for tomorrow's budget announcement. No need to be doom and gloom yet. These lines go through PC ridings after all.

 

[LMVDR]

Higher resolution map.

View attachment 180698

Thanks for sharing. This is fantastic. Ford prioritizing transit in Canada’s biggest city.

What’s not to like?

 

[hw621]

Interesting video- I think this confirms that Ford intends to extend the subway to Scarborough from Sheppard. The combination of the Bloor Extension and the Sheppard extension is interesting- are they combining the lines?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1115991532450996226

It is interesting how the blinking dot magically resurfaces on the Eglinton Line after it hits Ontario Place.

 

[steveintoronto]

The chance of one bit of the line not happening with this procurement model is near zero,

lol...I guess I'm a little older and more cynical than you. There's a very good NONE of this will be built, let alone segments. This string was absolutely adamant for some that it would be "Conventional Subway". I even got banned for a week or so for continually suggesting otherwise, and had a whole detailed post removed about a week back on what was possible using London's examples.

And lo and behold, some coverage mentions the "Docklands Light Rail" model...which actually I doubt. Far too lightweight. Something closer to a conventional metro is needed, with at least four car trains.

It's got to be kept in mind that Metrolinx are still nowhere to be seen. This was a Ford announcement. Where's Findley (sp?)? In lieu of this being built as Ford is stating (and he hasn't a clue on this) I suspect it triggers offers from the Private Sector to do it as a private endeavour. As it is, if you read between the lines, Ford admits he doesn't have funding lined up for this. Feds haven't been consulted, he mentions "private" many times, but where are they?

Basically the announcement is this: "The Relief Line as proposed by the City of Toronto won't be built". Everything else is supposition.

 

[Jonny5]

As mentioned they have said Sheppard will happen after SSE is done.

We'll get a one stop Scarborough extension and then a press conference where wildly cheering Ford supporters applaud his fiscal restraint when he announces he's not spending anymore "hard working Ontario family dollars" on the wasteful "Kathleen Wynne Toronto transit lines"

 

[interchange42]

For those considering the comment about the Ontario line going over the Don River, there's no chance that it would be cheaper to do that near East Harbour, so that's got to be underground still, but crossing from the north end of Pape over to Thorncliffe Park makes way more sense on a bridge than a tunnel ever did there.

42

 

[robmausser]

I smell a Crossrail-type solution?

..... and not a word about GO Expansion ?????

- Paul

GO RER is dead.

 

[gweed123]

For those considering the comment about the Ontario line going over the Don River, there's no chance that it would be cheaper to do that near East Harbour, so that's got to be underground still, but crossing from the north end of Pape over to Thorncliffe Park makes way more sense on a bridge than a tunnel ever did there.

42

Agreed. Metrolinx (who was doing the RL North planning) hadn't even specified which option they were going to go with when it was heavy rail though. I suspect a bridge probably would have come out on top there as well.

 

[crs1026]

And yes, as posted above, it also provides an alternate/south access to the CNE. Who knows where the final stations would be but having multiple points to access CNE and BMO Field - these are all good things, potentially.

It will be a huge improvement, even with a walk, to take that walk to a transit line that can get you all the way up to Eglinton in short order....versus taking that walk today to a streetcar that takes you to the Bloor subway (eventually). I still would worry about the tie ins to other lines.

The alignment from Osgoode to the CNE grounds will be interesting. I'd argue for straight west on Queen to a hard left turn at Strachan. If there were a station at Strachan and King, that might serve Liberty Village well enough. The right alignment and location could let a future Waterfront West LRT loop at Dufferin without extension to Bathurst, that would be money saved.

- Paul

 

[robmausser]

I want to watch/listen to this but god damn it's hard to listen to Ford.

The only part that would make sense is it going down to the previously proposed Spadina GO station, as a way to get trains from the West to not have to stop at Union, relieving pressure off Union. However I think those GO plans are dead now.