Toronto Ontario Line 3 | ?m | ?s

Since we're all waiting with worms on our tongue, as Robin Williams once said, and just so we start from a consistent benchmark when we see Ford's plan - here's the funding that Metrolinx claimed (dreamed?) would be available, as recently as the February Board Meeting:

To summarise the chart below:

Crosstown - $5.3B
Finch/Hur//Ham LRT - $3.4B
Bus Projects - $1.8B
GO RER - $13.5B
Bowm/Kitch/Niagara $3.0B

Now, it's clear that Ford has plans for subways. He says the total envelope is $28.5B. Some of the above may be funded from money set aside in past years, and there are federal funds available, but even so, I can't see there being money for all of these any more.

Can't wait to see tomorrow's tally. It's not like waiting for Santa, that's for sure, but it's still suspenseful.

- Paul

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Is this becoming the Star Wars Episode IX of Toronto transit? All the theories and anticipation but with a high chance of disappointment.
 
Anyone who's been on here for a while knows I'm in favour of building the Relief Line as a more local GO RER line. It just makes so much sense, and allows the branches to extend much further out into the suburbs than using subways can (at least not without a virtually unlimited budget). Here's a map I created way back in 2015 showing this concept (I have others, but my mapping skills any further back than 2015 aren't things I'd like to keep sharing).

The branches can be debated, but the basic idea of using a Central Tunnel for more local RER service, while keeping the 905-oriented service running through Union I think still stands.
 
Leo_Chan said:
Is this becoming the Star Wars Episode IX of Toronto transit? All the theories and anticipation but with a high chance of disappointment.
Click to expand...

There will be winners and losers. No matter what anyone’s speculations or pet preferences were, this is a reset to the whole list of past commitments. Things are coming off the list. Somebody will be disappointed. Personally I never had any faith in the list, it was unaffordable even for the freest spending side of the political spectrum. All the debates and consultations just helped everyone evade that reality.

I predict there will be a reset on process, too. I wouldn’t be surprised if they declare a waiver on any further EA’s or addendums to EA’s, if Ford’s plan deviates from what has been EA’d to date. The average voter will likely say, just get on with it. I’m not a Ford fan, but I would rather support $28.5B of transit that gets started -whatever it is - than continue to debate $40B of transit that is largely hypothetical.

- Paul
 
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