Transit City Plan

[alik01]

Re: LRT Network Proposition

The better buy state of the art LRT instead of the current red snails we have. Other wise it will be a waste of Tax dollars.

 

[Mike in TO]

A $555-million line from Don Mills Station that runs along Sheppard Avenue East to Morningside;

Why is this even being considered? Transit planning at it's worst. Set a long-term plan to complete the Sheppard line, an LRT would make it a stubway permanently rather than just a slow-birth that grows over time.

 

[AlchemisTO]

I'm with unimaginative on NE Scarborough being completely overrated, the near-complete lack of transit improvements south of Bloor street being a major deficiency and the Sheppard LRT idea at all. I have also rode LRT and consider that the best systems are always, at best, a compromise between on-street ROWs which service corridors but are painfully slow, and using far-flung paths of least resistance, like the Finch Hydro corridor, which are speedy but far from anything of real use.

Another thing to consider: ten years from now, a transit rider in Scarborough living along Sheppard traveling to York university would have to make 3 transfers: LRT to subway at Don Mills, subway to bus at Sheppard/Yonge, bus to subway again at Downsview. Extending the Sheppard line 2 km east to at least Victoria Park and 4 km west to Downsview would probably cost about $1.5 billion, but would be clearly worth it in the long run.

 

[waterloowarrior]

from spacing wire
spacing.ca/wire/

Today at City Hall, the TTC announced its intentions loud and clear: If Toronto is going to become the greenest and most sustainable city in North America, it begins and starts with our transit system. [ click on the map to see a larger version ]

The “Toronto Transit City — Light Rail Plan†put forth today by TTC Chair Adam Giambrone and Mayor David Miller envisions a vast network of above-ground LRTs (like the streetcars in the rendering below) that stretch out into the far-reaches of this city. In order to bring reliable and effective transit to these communities, rapid-transit vehicles in their own dedicated lanes are being proposed on the following streets and traffic corridors:

• Etobicoke-Finch West LRT (17.9 km): from Humber College in the west, to the Finch bus/subway station at Yonge (there is no indication in the plan for the LRT to run along the hydro corridor, as hypothisized yesterday in the Star);
• Sheppard East LRT (13.6 km): connecting Don Mills subway station to Scarborough Town Centre and its RT station, and to the proposed Scarborough-Malvern LRT (see below). The line would operate underground for a short distance when leaving/approaching Don Mills station;
• Jane Street LRT (16.5 km): terminating at the Jane subway station at Bloor in the south and the Steeles West subway station that will be a part of the University-Spadina subway extension;
• Eglinton-Crosstown LRT (30.8 km): this line will cross the entire city starting at the airport, connecting to Mississauga Transit’s busway, and stretching across to Kennedy subway/RT station in Scarborough. Of note, the line would operate underground from Keele in the west to Laird in the east, avoiding the tight corridors of midtown Toronto;
• Scarborough-Malvern LRT (15 km): running northeast out of Kennedy station, and then north along Malvern and Morningside;
• Don Mills LRT (17.6 km): terminating at a Bloor-Danforth subway station (not specified) in the south, and Steeles Avenue in the north (with possible connection to York Region’s VIVA network);
• Waterfront West LRT (11 km): Starting at Long Branch in the west, connecting to the CNE stop near Dufferin and terminating at Union station in the east. The line would runs along the Gardiner Expressway/GO Transit corridor between the CNE and the Queensway and Lake Shore streetcar lines.


The plan also outlines the current ridership numbers (almost all have bus routes) and the estimated LRT ridership in 2021:

• Etobicoke-Finch West LRT
current: 11.3 million trips/yr
in 2021: 24.6 million trips/yr
• Sheppard East LRT
current: 10 million trips/yr
in 2021: 16.5 million trips/yr
• Jane Street LRT
current: 11.9 million trips/yr
in 2021: 24 million trips/yr
• Eglinton-Crosstown LRT
current: 19.0 million trips/yr
in 2021: 52.8 million trips/yr
• Scarborough-Malvern LRT
current: 9.6 million trips/yr
in 2021: 14.1 million trips/yr
• Don Mills LRT
current: 13.7 million trips/yr
in 2021: 21.2 million trips/yr
• Waterfront West LRT
current: 5.2 million trips/yr
in 2021: 20.8 million trips/yr

Also attached to the Transit City plan were a number of projects already approved or in the Environmental Assessment (EA) process. These include:

• St. Clair ROW, under construction
• Harbourfront East LRT, in the EA process
• University-Spadina subway extension
• Extending the Scarborough RT to connect with Sheppard East LRT
• Yonge Street busway from Finch to Steeles to connect to York Region’s VIVA bus routes, in EA process

Spacing, along with other transit advocates like Steve Munro, has been very vocal about how the TTC needs to fully embrace the LRT option if it wants to increase its ridership without sucking every penny out of the TTC’s constrained budget. Transit City incorporates the TTC’s own Ridership Growth Strategy [2.3mb PDF], Building a Transit City report [2.9mb PDF], the mayor’s own political platform form the 2006 municipal election, and adheres to the City’s own Official Plan.

As many of our readers mentioned in yesterday’s comment section (â€Is Toronto abot to become a Transit City?“), this is just a plan. While most of us may be excited to see such a smart outlook on how to make our transit system more effective for a variety of regions in the city, there’s no way we can build this system without permanent funding from the two higher levels of government. It is no coincidence that the One Cent Now campaign was launched a month ago, then the National Transit Strategy by the Big City Mayors’ Caucus was announced a few weeks later, and now this — all in time for the upcoming federal budget. It is a clear strategy on the mayor’s part to force the province and the federal governments to pay attention to Toronto’s most dire needs. Since we could find ourselves going to polls to elect federal MPs within weeks, and provincial election coming in October, Miller and company want Toronto voters to make public transit one of the most important issues when choosing which political party you vote for.

 

[waterloowarrior]

www.transitcity.ca

Don Mills Corridor

This 18-kilometre long corridor would stretch along the Don Mills Road corridor from Steeles Avenue to the Don Valley, and then south to a connection with the Bloor-Danforth Subway. The corridor would provide fast and frequent north-south service over a busy transit corridor east of the Yonge Subway and west of the Scarborough RT. Light rail service would connect with the Sheppard Subway and the Sheppard East light rail corridor at Don Mills Station. A northerly extension could be built to provide direct service into York Region. Direct connections would be made to the Eglinton Crosstown light rail line, and through operation between the Don Mills and Eglinton Crosstown lines would be possible, potentially providing more transfer-free journeys for transit customers.

Light rail service would operate in the surface on dedicated rights-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 21.2 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $675 million.

Eglinton Crosstown Corridor

This 31-kilometre long corridor would link Kennedy Station in the east with Pearson Airport and the Mississauga Transitway in the west, via a new light rail service that would stretch across Toronto. The corridor would provide a fast and frequent east-west service through the central part of Toronto, as well as important regional connections. The corridor would connect with the existing Bloor-Danforth, Yonge, Scarborough RT and Spadina subways, and with the proposed new Scarborough Malvern, Don Mills, and Jane light rail corridors. In addition to connections to Mississauga in the west, the Eglinton Crosstown corridor could eventually connect with Durham Region in the east, via the Scarborough Malvern and Sheppard East light rail corridors.

Light rail service would operate on the surface in a dedicated right-of-way from Kennedy Station to approximately Laird Drive, then underground to Keele Street, and then again on the surface in a dedicated right of way to Mississauga and Pearson Airport. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 53 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $2.2 billion.

Etobicoke-Finch West Corridor

This 18-kilometre long corridor would link Finch Station with northern Etobicoke. The light rail line would run west from Finch Station on the Yonge Subway along Finch Avenue. The line would end at or near Highway 27, Humber College, and the Humberwood community. The light rail service would replace a busy existing bus route, and would provide fast and frequent east-west service through the northern part of North York and Etobicoke. In addition to Finch Station on the Yonge Subway, the line would connect with Finch West Station on the Spadina Subway extension, and with the Jane light rail corridor. In the future, the Etobicoke-Finch West corridor could be extended farther west to Mississauga, or south to the Woodbine racetrack or Pearson Airport areas to provide important regional connections.

Light rail service would operate entirely in a dedicated surface right-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 25 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $835 million.

Jane Corridor

This 17-kilometre long corridor would stretch along Jane Street from Steeles West Station on the Spadina Subway to the Bloor-Danforth Subway. The corridor would provide fast and frequent north-south service in the western part of Toronto along a very busy transit corridor. A northerly extension could be built to provide direct service into York Region. A short east-west segment would connect to the St Clair streetcar line at Keele Street. Direct connections would be made to Steeles West Station on the Spadina Subway, the Etobicoke-Finch West light rail line, the Eglinton Crosstown light rail line, the St Clair streetcar line, and the Bloor-Danforth Subway.

Light rail service would operate entirely on the surface in a dedicated right-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 24 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $630 million.

Scarborough Malvern Corridor

This 15-kilometre long corridor would link Kennedy Station with northern Scarborough, Malvern, and the Morningside Heights community. The light rail service would run east from Kennedy Station on Eglinton Avenue, northeast on Kingston Road, and then north on Morningside Drive to the Malvern and Morningside Heights communities. The line would provide new high-quality light rail service along several busy existing transit routes, and would provide direct service to the University of Toronto at Scarborough and Centennial College’s Ellesmere Campus. The Scarborough Malvern light rail line would connect with the Sheppard East light rail line at Morningside Drive and Sheppard Avenue, and light rail service could potentially be through-routed west or east on the Sheppard East corridor, increasing convenience for transit customers.

Light rail service would operate entirely on the surface in a dedicated right-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 14 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $630 million.

Sheppard East Corridor

This 14-kilometre long corridor would extend rapid transit service east from Don Mills Station to northern Scarborough, Malvern, and, potentially, Durham Region. The light rail line would run east from Don Mills Station on the Sheppard Subway along Sheppard Avenue, replacing two busy existing bus routes, and providing fast and frequent east-west service through the northern part of Scarborough, with potential future regional connections. A key requirement of the selected route is the planned extension of the Scarborough RT to a new terminal at Sheppard Avenue in the Malvern community, which would provide important connections from Sheppard Avenue to Scarborough Centre and to the Bloor-Danforth Subway. At its eastern end, the Sheppard East corridor would connect with the Scarborough Malvern light rail corridor. A direct connection would be possible with GO Transit’s Stouffville line. The Sheppard East corridor could eventually be extended farther east to Durham Region, and light rail service on the Sheppard East Corridor could be through-routed over the Scarborough Malvern Corridor to provide further transit connections.

Light rail service would operate from the underground transfer terminal at Don Mills Station, rising to the surface to operate the rest of the way in a dedicated right-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 17 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $555 million.Waterfront West button

Waterfront West Corridor

This 11-kilometre long corridor would link Union Station and Exhibition Place with Parkdale, High Park, and southern Etobicoke. The new light rail line would start from the existing Exhibition streetcar loop, and run west along the Gardiner Expressway/Lakeshore GO Train corridor to the existing Queensway and Lake Shore streetcar tracks, which would be upgraded where necessary to a dedicated surface right-of-way. The light rail service would provide fast and frequent east-west service from southern Etobicoke to Union Station along the waterfront. Eventual extensions could be made west into Mississauga and east from Union Station into the eastern waterfront.

Light rail service would operate entirely in a dedicated surface right-of-way. Estimated annual ridership in 2021 would be 21 million customer-trips. Order-of-magnitude cost of the corridor would be approximately $540 million.


SUMMARY

The Toronto Transit City – Light Rail Plan should be endorsed as the basis and priority for rapid transit expansion in the City of Toronto. The plan would establish a network of fast, reliable, electric light-rail transit lines, to attract people out of their cars and onto environmentally-friendly public transport. The Plan would provide fast and reliable public transit service, increase the mobility of Toronto residents, would provide system-wide connections to existing and future rapid transit services, and would be seamlessly co-ordinated with Greater Toronto regional transit networks.

 

[prometheus the supremo]

 

[spmarshall]

All in all not that bad a plan. I like the underground Eglinton line - that's the best part. Jane's not bad either, but I also wonder how it will fit south of Dundas, even parts around Lawrence, Eglinton and Foxwell are pretty tight. Are we prepared to reduce car lanes to one, and no parking?

Sheppard, I think, is the most questionable part of the plan. Don Mills is a great idea, but where will the riders go when they get dumped at Pape? Like Jane, Pape is constrained as well big time.

Nice website though.

 

[Bogtrotter]

I'm not convinced that replacing possible future subway extensions in the core with LRT is the best approach. If they're going to tunnel on stretches of Eglinton for instance, why not just start on a project to extend the subway line? If the official plan calls for greater urban density why not extend the subway at Eglinton and use LRT for an extension to Vaughn?

 

[SD2]

I'm not convinced that replacing possible future subway extensions in the core with LRT is the best approach. If they're going to tunnel on stretches of Eglinton for instance, why not just start on a project to extend the subway line? If the official plan calls for greater urban density why not extend the subway at Eglinton and use LRT for an extension to Vaughn?

I totally agree. That would make much more sense.

 

[prometheus the supremo]

2021 is a long time. what protects this plan from future governments?

where are the phases? so and so will be built by 2009, so and so will be built by 2011, so and so will be built by 2015, so and so will be built by 2018, etc.


will all lines be under construction at the same time?

does all of eglinton need to be underground? why not make use of the richview ROW?

why is there no plan for the georgetown corridor?

 

[spmarshall]

It says Eglinton would be underground from Laird to Keele, surface the rest of the way. Easily the best part of the plan.

 

[prometheus the supremo]

i just saw that. thanks spmarshall.

any news on the construction phases?

 

[roch5220]

It says Eglinton would be underground from Laird to Keele, surface the rest of the way. Easily the best part of the plan.​

Thats a huge segment. With the cost being so low?

 

[prometheus the supremo]

i made a google earth image overlay for the route plan.

anyone know of a online hosting site (without having to sign up) ?

 

[scarberiankhatru]

If they're going to build both a Sheppard LRT and a Morningside LRT, who on earth will be taking the SRT extension? For the same price, the subway can be extended to STC, benefiting all of the SRT's riders...this extension will only benefit people who are also getting two LRT lines. My neighbourhood has 75,000 people (equal to Malvern yet living in a more compact area) but despite $6 billion worth of transit projects, not one minute of the trip downtown or across town will be shaved off for any of us. It's simply obscene. $2 billion will be spent in Malvern on projects that express/rocket buses could accomplish for $20 million.

Eglinton is getting pre-metro...spending billions on a tunneled streetcar is a complete and utter waste of money. Streetcars to the airport? That'll take, what, 90 minutes from downtown?

The Jane Street LRT estimates are absurdly high...with the Spadina subway extension, the Jane & Finch area will be only a few minutes from the subway via the Finch LRT (which is one of the better parts of the proposal..but why is it costing over $800M???).

The Sheppard LRT basically means the subway will never be extended, making the transfer permanent and preventing the line from ever capturing cross-town travel like it was designed. Agincourt has been slowly filling up with towers in anticipation of the subway, the EA to Vic Park is done (I think)...this is a huge kick to the groin of Scarborough. Not that anyone cares about any part of Scarborough that's not Malvern.

"Seems the only part of the grid close to overcrowding is the downtown loop.

Again, why must the subway be beyond overcrowded before something's done about it? The Yonge, Bloor, and Danforth lines are all regularly standing room only way out at near their termini.

edit - just thinking about this plan makes me sick...I'm going to fight this if the plan gets that far, and I'm not alone.