Transit City Plan

[Voltz]

W.K. you promote an electric train on rails solutions to everything. I'm curious as to where you think all this energy will come from. Gas and oil are both just as affected by the cost of crude oil, coal is terribly polluting, nuclear is under even stronger attack now after the Japan disaster, even hydro will be more difficult going forward as people are becoming aware of the environmental impacts on the surrounding area (flood one area reduce water flow to another) and displacement of residents, NIMBY'ism has made wind turbines a difficult proposition in this province (the 500 m restriction prevents local small scale turbines), and any other combination of renewable sources including solar will never be able to catch up to our energy demands.

Just where are we going to get the energy to run all these trains? At least buses maximize the number of people per L of fuel that they transport.

What are you talking about?

Electrically powered vehicles are more energy efficient regardless of how the power is generated.

 

[Filip]

As TC is dead.. I may as well change my avatar now!

Job well done, Mayor Ford.

 

[W. K. Lis]

As TC is dead.. I may as well change my avatar now!

Job well done, Mayor Ford.

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT was part of Transit City, it lives on. In fact, the underground section of the Eglinton Crosstown in Transit City will have construction started this year. Ford did not even have the Eglinton on any of his campaign promises.

 

[Filip]

A fully underground Eglinton line was not part of TC- hence it's dead.

 

[SlickFranky]

A fully underground Eglinton line was not part of TC- hence it's dead.

You might want to hold on to that avatar for a bit longer, just in case....council has yet to weigh-in. I'm not saying they'll push to kill this plan, but they certainly could (and should IMO, as it's a gravy-soaked mess of misallocated funds).

 

[nfitz]

Glad to see that Premier McGuinty has saved the kernal of Transit City. And saved the technology ... Finch West could still open on schedule in 2020 once a real mayor is in power.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Glad to see that Premier McGuinty has saved the kernal of Transit City. And saved the technology ... Finch West could still open on schedule in 2020 once a real mayor is in power.

Agreed. No other part of Transit City will happen until after 4 or 8 years of Rob Ford and his brother. Unless there is a city council revolt.

 

[lafard]

The city council thing is actually a huge question mark. The media coverage of this really has done a great job of making Ford look like a fool, and I wouldn't be surprised if council overrules him on this one.

Remember, Ford nation is one councillor vote away from being irrelevant.

And of course transit city's not dead. A combination of Ford's failure to get Sheppard built and the demonstration of the Hurontario LRT will resurrect it before the decade is out, even in the most pessimistic case.

 

[jje1000]

A fully underground Eglinton line was not part of TC- hence it's dead.

Trying to fit a square peg into a round hole,eh?

Like what W.K. Lis, said, the Eglinton LRT lives on in the form of a light rail subway.

 

[Electrify]

The city council thing is actually a huge question mark. The media coverage of this really has done a great job of making Ford look like a fool, and I wouldn't be surprised if council overrules him on this one.

Remember, Ford nation is one councillor vote away from being irrelevant.

And of course transit city's not dead. A combination of Ford's failure to get Sheppard built and the demonstration of the Hurontario LRT will resurrect it before the decade is out, even in the most pessimistic case.

While the Huontario LRT is a completely different beast compared to Sheppard (compare the York University Rocket to the Steeles West express between Yonge and Dufferin), but seeing as people have no idea about anything, such little things won't matter to the masses. People in the GTA will see a rapid LRT in Mississauga, think that is what Ford canceled in favour of nothing at all on Sheppard, and want his blood for pissing away Toronto's at-grade LRTs. This is of course assuming he hasn't resigned in disgrace for any number of scandals/public mishaps/incompetence/etc.

 

[Electrify]

You know, throughout all this drama, there is a bit of an irony: The left and Miller could have easily wanted Eglinton underground through Scarborough to provide better transit service despite the extra cost, and the right and Ford could have been for surface light rail because it is cheaper though less efficient. However, because the sides swapped positions on this issue, many lefties are up in arms despite the odd way it has played out in partisan politics.

Let's look at this plan objectively: Eglinton is going to have much better and much needed rapid transit along its entire length, rather than having a weak link in the east end. Kennedy is now a through station, which would not have happened with the old plan. And even if nothing gets done on Sheppard, most here could argue that rail transit along suburban arterials would be a waste of funds anyways. Besides, they voted for Ford, so they knew what they were getting - while the central city voted for Smitherman/Pantalone and will now get better transit because of it.

 

[Dan416]

You know, throughout all this drama, there is a bit of an irony: The left and Miller could have easily wanted Eglinton underground through Scarborough to provide better transit service despite the extra cost, and the right and Ford could have been for surface light rail because it is cheaper though less efficient. However, because the sides swapped positions on this issue, many lefties are up in arms despite the odd way it has played out in partisan politics.

Let's look at this plan objectively: Eglinton is going to have much better and much needed rapid transit along its entire length, rather than having a weak link in the east end. Kennedy is now a through station, which would not have happened with the old plan. And even if nothing gets done on Sheppard, most here could argue that rail transit along suburban arterials would be a waste of funds anyways. Besides, they voted for Ford, so they knew what they were getting - while the central city voted for Smitherman/Pantalone and will now get better transit because of it.

But the right is also pro-car, that's the only reason Ford took the underground side.

 

[Rainforest]

The city council thing is actually a huge question mark. The media coverage of this really has done a great job of making Ford look like a fool, and I wouldn't be surprised if council overrules him on this one.

Remember, Ford nation is one councillor vote away from being irrelevant.

What happens next if the council votes the newest Ford - McGuinty plan down, and supports Transit City instead? Will they need to elect new Transit Commissioners, given that almost all current Commissioners are aligned with Ford? Even if so, they can't fire Ford and appoint an acting new mayor.

As a result, are we looking for another stalemate? Ford unable to pursue the newest plan because the Council voted it down; the Council unable to pursue Transit City because Ford wouldn't put his signature where a mayor's signature is required ...

 

[archanfel]

What happens next if the council votes the newest Ford - McGuinty plan down, and supports Transit City instead? Will they need to elect new Transit Commissioners, given that almost all current Commissioners are aligned with Ford? Even if so, they can't fire Ford and appoint an acting new mayor.

As a result, are we looking for another stalemate? Ford unable to pursue the newest plan because the Council voted it down; the Council unable to pursue Transit City because Ford wouldn't put his signature where a mayor's signature is required ...

Then we wait for the next election. That's the beauty of democracy.

BTW, what stalemates have we got now? I am amazed that the council kept on getting strong-armed by Ford. So much for the "the mayor has only one vote" argument.

 

[archanfel]

When David Miller became mayor, one of his promises was no bridge to the island airport. It was to have been a drawbridge, allowing for boats and ships to cross the gap but stop access to the mainland and the island temporarily.

Currently, there are plans for a tunnel between the island and the mainland. An access that would not be disturbed by passing ships. A better access it seems to me.

Rob Ford’s phobia has lead to his current transit plans, mostly underground. At least, it includes a possibility for expansion along Eglinton to the airport, in whatever form it may be.

I think that with the current escalation of crude oil prices, gasoline prices, diesel prices, asphalt prices, etc., we will be seeing a new Transit City come out of this mess, but only after either the Ford brothers loose control of city hall or if the crude oil prices force city council to come up with a new plan. Hopefully, a better Transit City for all. The problem will be that because of the delay, there will be cause for much more arguments, discussions, and financial headaches along the way for everyone.

Maybe the New Transit City plan will come out, after the Ford brothers, will include a Downtown Relief Line as well.

Fortunately/unfortunately, the current escalation of gasoline prices is giving birth to more efficient cars. I doubt the city will be forced to do anything. I guess we will see in the next election.