Now here's something to make you think:
If Yonge is actually already seriously overcrowded (and it very much is,) then what difference will it make to the crowding if a subway or LRT is built? You do realize that people taking Viva Blue and all those other busses are actually going down to Finch and then on to the subway, right? Something I think a lot of people are missing is that probably over half the riders at Finch right now are actually from York Region.
I fully support a Yonge Extension, as well as Richmond Hill Go "LRTization." But the DRL will be needed before a Yonge Extension, and LRT-izing Richmond Hill Go is needed soon. But an extension makes sense. Thornhill has a lot of development plans, and there's also whatever Richmond Hill's doing around Yonge and Highway 7
Subway=extra commuter
Yonge line cannot take extra capacity.
1-DRL has to be built first
2-Go Train must offer Lakeshore Service
3-Only then a subway could be justified. Eglinton and Sheppard should go first.
The TTC mandate is for the city of Toronto. The only way that I will be in favor of a massive subway system for the GTA would be if the whole GTA paid their share like in Montreal. Politician complains that building a subway is so expensive...There a many part of the city that seriously lack rapid transit and are more urgent than Richmond Hill.
Nothing is stopping York to have their LRT or own subway system if they want. But those Km of subway rail should be use within the city first before going outside to fill the gap in Toronto. Building outside is a waste.
I'm for a subway outside of Toronto but why use the TTC.
You guys might not get why I'm like this. But the Laval extension is identical to the plan Richmond Hill extension here. Montreal is experiencing what will happen to the Yonge line without DRL.
Pros:
1-It was clear that Laval wanted the subway (and still want more) to increase the value of his city. This is fine.
2-By having 3 station in Laval, the STL (Laval network) redirected their 25 and + bus routes off the island of Montreal and kept them within Laval. They saved a lot of money...They lowered their tickets and bus passes fee afterward. This is fine.
3-The trips were much shorter for those from Laval and more comfortable. This is great
Cons:
4-Laval refused to increase their contribution to Montreal Metro (STM). The mayor of Montreal had threat to keep the extension closed as long as Laval was refusing to pay extra money for increase maintaining cost. Laval refused and asked the provincial government who gave the money to Montreal to open the line. Laval still refused to pay more which is not the case with Longueuil. Montreal decided to charge an extra fare of 2.75$ to Laval customer who did not buy the Zone 3 Metro pass to help compensate. Laval said they won’t pay more as long as Montreal does not give a fair treatment to Laval commuters like Longueuil who do not pay extra fare. Montreal was against the project to begin with since they wanted to expand the northern crosstown first (blue line). The mayor told Laval that if they wanted it so bad they could have built their own but they showed they were not willing to pay for it.
My point: Risk of dispute. York wants the subway so badly...Why not built their own rapid transit? They were quick to drop the Viva LRT... It seem to me they want the most for as less as possible.
5-The orange line is horribly overcrowded and just like the Yonge line, it was already like that before. It seemed that they underestimated the extra commuters that decided to use the Metro. People from much farther away use the subway instead of driving... (This is good)
The ugly part? Those living in St-Jerome (2 hours from downtown) did something that no one predicted. Instead of staying in the commuter train to Bonaventure (Central station downtown) they get of at De La Concorde Station in Laval and use the Metro...
A subway to Richmond Hill would most likely mean, the Go ridership would decrease and make it useless. Do you seriously think that people will keep using the Go when they get the subway at their door??? Not only new commuter will use the Yonge line but most of Go user will use the Subway. Do you think the line can take it?
6-Montrealers were the victims in all of this. Short-turning the trains and adding more trains didn't change a thing. The STM said there was nothing they could do in short term. They can't use the subway like they use too and the same thing awaits Torontonians
The solution is Go and their initiative to make the network look like the RER in Paris.
Frequent service....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RER
Metrolinx is aware of that...hope they think real hard before making such a move. They have the infrastructure and it's Go Train. 2 Billion in subway technology to RH is a huge and irresponsible waste of money. It would kill the Go RH line...
