Toronto Spadina Subway Extension Emergency Exits | ?m | 1s | TTC | IBI Group

Swarley said:
Bids are in for the first of the two tunnel contracts. They seem to be fairly low:

AECON BUILDINGS $279,078,688.00
DRAGADOS CANADA INC. $294,750,000.00
OHL/BIRD JV $311,862,300.00
STRABAG $417,742,002.00
TORONTO SPADINA CONSTRUCTORS $283,322,008.00

Looks like a Canadian company will get it too, good news.
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As a point of comparison, IIRC the cost to tunnel Sheppard was in the neighbourhood of 120 million.
 
jwill said:
the lots at Wilson should remain, since they are adjacent to the 401 interchange with Allen Rd. Although I could see the potential in developing a narrow band of the lots directly on Wilson. There's a strange urban quality to Wilson through that area, except of course the gap between Wilson Heights blvd and Dufferin, part of which is occupied by the TTC parking lots and bus terminal.
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They were looking to sell the Wilson lots last I heard. They are generaly well used, but I think they'd be able to get rid of both East lots and still have capacity. In fact I think the South East might be gone sooner then the others as there is quite a bit of new development around it.
 
jwill said:
the lots at Wilson should remain, since they are adjacent to the 401 interchange with Allen Rd. Although I could see the potential in developing a narrow band of the lots directly on Wilson. There's a strange urban quality to Wilson through that area, except of course the gap between Wilson Heights blvd and Dufferin, part of which is occupied by the TTC parking lots and bus terminal.
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Really the regional station in that area is Yorkdale and given the nature of the area (it's a mall) parking will remain there, also Yorkdale is a bit more accesible from the highway than Wilson is. Parking demand at Wilson is really driven by the fact that parking at the two south lots is $3 while Downsview is $4 and Yorkdale is higher than that (IIRC). Therefore parking could be eliminated at the south lots without significant impact and development at those locations would be redeveloped and only drive more ridership.
 
Downsview

I would think that the Downsview parking lots would make the most sense to sell off for redevelopment. There are a bunch of condos around there and on Sheppard between Allen and Bathurst, and it would make sense to built more there (also it would be on the Sheppard line if this is extended west). The Wilson parking should stay, it is an undesirable location for redevelopment (too close to the subway yard/the 401 & Allen interchange/the Downsview airport flight path). Also the Wilson parking is closer to the 401 so it is useful for drivers coming off of there.
 
When Keele was the western terminal of the newly opened Bloor-Danforth subway back in 1966, there was a small parking lot off Indian Road. It is still there. Hard to get rid of them if they are also used for the stores in area.
 
^ Wilson hasn't been a terminus station for 14 years, and in a couple more years, neither will Downsview.

Subway stations don't need surface parking lots, they need dense development. For commuters, there are no lack of frequent feeder routes.
 
I agree. When the Yonge line was built and the Bloor/danforth, you did not see parking lots built. Those lines were built along 2 major streets with streets intersecting them. If you are walking along those 2 major streets you will eventually hit a subway station. Try doing that along the Spadina line. Thats why it has no where what the other lines have in terms of ridership. You can't just walk along Spadina and hope to come across one of the subway stations, (after all the Spadina does end at Eglinton)

The Yorkdale parking lot that TTC riders use belongs to Yorkdale Mall, which leased the lot to the TTC (and wished it did not I heard some years ago). You can bet once the lease is up, Yorkdale will not re-lease it again and the TTC will loose another lot.
 
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