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The Urban Jungle
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Transit Fantasy Maps

TheTigerMaster said:
There probably isn't a city on the planet going through as much rapid transit expansion as we are.
Click to expand...

More people should visit the insanity that is Guangzhou in Guangdong province. That city metro, which measured by urban area will includes Hong Kong as metro connected suburb (metros are under construction) makes Tokyo look petite.

Anyway, it's sufficient to say they will be expanding their transit system over that time period to support their 1 million per year population growth rate. They're building a Manhatten island every decade in the land between Foshan and Hong Kong.


What Toronto might do is impressive, outstanding for a new-world city, and I am pleased with what is underway; but our problems and solutions are miniscule compared to what some other regions are going through.
 
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yes, china is in a complete other league. Thats what happens when you get 8% yearly GDP growth though, and when you factor in the fact that it takes 8 years to build a subway line, you can essentially build one into a bunch of fields and have it operate at near capacity on opening day.

Toronto is unmatched currently when it comes to North American cities though, and this is without the transit tax projects. if the transit tax passes, Toronto will truly be in a league of it's own when it comes to transit expansion.

fun little map showing urban infrastructure investment across Canada and the US: the only city that beats us is New York, but considering that is a city 3 times our size, it isn't really surprising. (especially considering 1km of subway costs over a billion dollars there)

2013-Transit-Openings-1.jpg
 
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innsertnamehere said:
yes, china is in a complete other league. Thats what happens when you get 8% yearly GDP growth though, and when you factor in the fact that it takes 8 years to build a subway line, you can essentially build one into a bunch of fields and have it operate at near capacity on opening day.

Toronto is unmatched currently when it comes to North American cities though, and this is without the transit tax projects. if the transit tax passes, Toronto will truly be in a league of it's own when it comes to transit expansion.

fun little map showing urban infrastructure investment across Canada and the US: the only city that beats us is New York, but considering that is a city 3 times our size, it isn't really surprising. (especially considering 1km of subway costs over a billion dollars there)

2013-Transit-Openings-1.jpg
Click to expand...

Never been more proud to call myself Torontonian. This city continues to grow and prosper at a scale that is unheard of to me. Bring on the transit tax and lets continue moving our transit forward!

BTW: That infographic dosen't inclue the FWLRT or the SELRT.
 
I don't think FWLRT is even funded, much less under construction. The other projects are actually in progress.
 
Xiaohaha said:
Wow, Chicago is a blank.
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Chicago is struggling with maintenance. Their last big project was rebuilding a large part of the Blue line to bring speeds back up to normal. It's similar to the track replacement work we have been doing with the streetcar network over the last 10 years.
 
rbt said:
Chicago is struggling with maintenance. Their last big project was rebuilding a large part of the Blue line to bring speeds back up to normal. It's similar to the track replacement work we have been doing with the streetcar network over the last 10 years.
Click to expand...

The last big transit expansion project was the Orange Line in 1993! Since then, the only major non-maintenance projects were the reactivation of an elevated section to inaugurate the Pink Line in 2005 to improve service in the west end on the Forest Park (Blue) and Douglas (Cermak via Pink) branches and a new station on the existing Skokie Swift (Yellow Line). Chicago even demolished part of its rapid transit in the 1990s to appease a South Side megachurch pastor. So if you think Toronto can't get its act together sometimes, just look to Chicago for comfort.

Also notable by their absence are Philadelphia (the second largest city not on the map) and Baltimore. Philly has a really interesting diversity of transit modes (trolley buses, two separate subway systems and a streetcar subway, radial regional rail, even interurban trolley) but has built nothing major in decades. It still has two streetcar lines, track and wire still in place, rusting away in a state of "suspension." It's almost a miracle that it resurrected part of its trolley bus system and one of the three suspended streetcar lines (15-Girard) in the last 10 years.

Baltimore is planning a new east-west light rail project, the Red Line, but can't get its act together either.
 
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To be fair, the metropolitan growth of Chicago and Philadelphia is rather stagnant, so they can afford to do nothing when it comes to transit expansion.

The GTA grows by 95,000 people per year - around a 1.7% annual population growth. If Greater Toronto were a country it would be growing at the same annual rate as the Philippines (1.75%) or Bangladesh (1.67%). I don't even think that the New York city CSA, with its 22 million people, grows faster than the GTA in absolute terms. We had better be at the top of that list.
 
TheTigerMaster said:
And finally, this is what I would like to see built in the future:
Click to expand...

The map wasn't meant to be be a fantasy map. More of a map of what we can realistically expect in the next 15-25 years. The amount of transit expansion in this city is absolutely incredible. There probably isn't a city on the planet going through as much rapid transit expansion as we are.
Click to expand...

I think my additions are realistic, maybe not within 25 years for heavier constructions, however, if you include BRTs then they are more than possible. Sorry, I should have been more verbose.
 
A bit of a side bar, but a fantasy map none the less. My vision for transit in Ottawa:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/43869799/Ottawa Rapid Transit v2.jpg

It builds on what has already been started with the Confederation Line, and adds much of what is already included in the TMP. However, there are several items in here that aren't in the TMP, most notably a N-S line along the Canal, then under downtown, then over the Ottawa River, then replacing the Rapibus BRT line in Gatineau with an LRT line (same alignment and stations).
 
Toronto Can Complete its Rapid Transit System for $8 Billion. Here's how.

This is something I've been working on for a while. It's part of a culminating assignment I've been working on for school. My goal was to create a realistic rapid transit plan, that would put almost everyone within close range of rapid transit (I define as 2km or less) at a price that will be affordable for the City of Toronto. I think it's fair to say that I've accomplished my mission considering that almost all of Toronto will be 2 km or less from transit at an approximate cost of $8 Billion to the City of Toronto.

So here we go.

Funding methodology:
  • When available, I used government cost estimates for the projects
  • When unavailable, I used the average per kilometer construction cost for the technology ($300 Million for subway, $80 Million for ROW LRT, $150 Million elevated LRT)
  • The $8 Billion does not include funding from the Ottawa or Metrolinx. The $8 Billion must be raised exclusively by the City of Toronto

Overview:
Toronto has a rapid transit network size of 68.3 km. This is a size that is inadequate for a city of 2.6 Million.

0AH86K1.png


Funded/Under Construction:

Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension

Length: 8.6 km
Price: $2.6 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground
Funding: Metrolinx (on bahalf of Province of Ontario), City of Toronto and the Government of Canada
Status: Under contruction
Description: Connects the growing Vaughan Metropolitan Centre to the Toronto subway.

Eglinton Crosstown LRT

Length: Approximately 19 km
Price: $6.7 Billion. Part of the $8.4 Billion in transit funding from Metrolinx to Toronto.
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: Underground, at grade (ROW) with some elevated portions
Funding: Metrolinx
Status: Under Construction
Description: A 19km light rail, rapid transit line that runs through the heart of Toronto. It will connect Jane Street to Kennedy and link will provide Scarborough with another rapid transit line.

Finch LRT

Length: 11 km
Price: $TBD, part of $8.4 Billion for Toronto transit funding in Toronto
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade
Funding: Metrolinx (on bahalf of Province of Ontario)
Status: Funded. Construction begins 2015.
Description: The Finch LRT will connect Etobickoe, from Centennial College to Finch West Station, to the rapid transit network

Sheppard LRT

Length: Approximately 14 km
Price: $945 Million. Part of the $8.4 Billion in transit funding from Metrolinx to Toronto.
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade (ROW), with some underground elements
Status: Funded. Construction begins 2017
Description: Links Scarborough and northeast Toronto to the rapid transit network.

Scarborough RT

Length: 11.4km
Price: $TBD. Part of the $8.4 Billion in transit funding from Metrolinx to Toronto.
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade, elevated with some underground elements
Status: Funded. Construction begins 2014.
Description: The SRT, which uses ICTS Mark I technolgy is being upgraded to light rail. The line is also being extended to Sheppard.

Overview: As of Today, Toronto has 57.6 km of rapid transit under construction, at a price tag of $11 Billion. Funding from all three levels of government. Once completed, Toronto will have a rapid transit network of 125.9 km, 84.3% larger than today.

It6PmtB.png


Phase One

Eglinton Crosstown LRT - Western Extension

Length: 8.5km
Price: TBD, est $1.275 Billion
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: Elevated
Funding: Metrolinx
Status: Awaiting Funding from Metrolinx
Description: This line starts at at Weston Road and travels to Pearson via Eglinton Avenue.

Jane-Weston LRT

Length: 16.1km
Price: $630 Million
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade with ROW element
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Proposed in Transit City. Cancelled by Council in 2012.
Description: This line starts at Black Creek Pioneer Village Station, west to Jane Street, south to Eglinton and southeast on Weston Road to Dundas West Station.

The line is designed to proved transit users from western Toronto an alterntive north/south rapid transit route. As of today, the only north/south rapid transit in western Toronto is the Spadina subway, which is too far to be useful for most riders.

Downtown Relief Line (Part A)

Length: 13 km
Price: $6.2 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground
Funding: Metrolinx
Status: Planned and awaiting funding from Metrolinx. Construction begins in a few years
Description: This new line is designed to relieve capcity issues on the Yonge subway and at Bloor-Yonge interchange station. Even with the DRL, they will still be capacity issues, but it will help to reduce them.

Runs from Dundas West Station, south to Roncesvalles, east on King to Pape and north to Pape Station.

Downtown Relief Line (Part B)

Length: 5.5 km
Price: $2.1 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground, elevated
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Proposed by TTC
Description: This new line will further relieve congestion issues at Bloor-Yonge and the Yonge Subway by connecting the DRL to the Eglinton Crosstown. It will provide an alternate route downtown for the riders of the Crosstown. Will be an extension of DRL, running from Pape Station to Don Mills Station on the Eglinton Crostown. (Part A)

Downtown Relief Line (Part C)
Length: 8.3 km
Price: $2.4 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Unproposed
Description: This extension of the DRL would run from Don Mills Station on the Eglinton Crosstown, north to Finch. Designed to significantly relieve the Yonge subway by providing an alternate route downtown for riders coming from eastern Toronto. The line runs through relatively low density areas of Toronto, however, bus routes should allow for initial ridership to be just below that of the Spadina Subway.

Yonge Extension
Length: 6.8km
Price: TBD. Estimated $2 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground
Funding: Metrolinx
Status: Planned and awaiting funding from Metrolinx. Construction begins in a few years
Description: This line will run north from Finch Station to Richmond Hill Centre. Will finally provide the area with badly needed rapid transit.

Malvern LRT
Length: 21km
Cost: $1.68 Billion
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade (ROW)
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Proposed in Transit City. Cancelled in 2011 by Council.
Description: Runs from Kennedy Station (with connections to ECLRT and Bloor Danforth) to Kingston Road, northeast to Morningside and north to Finch. Will connect to a future Finch Crosstown LRT

Finch LRT - Extension to Yonge
Length: 6.3km
Cost: $485 Million
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At Grade (ROW)
Funding: Metrolinx
Status: Proposed in Transit City. Will be funded by Metrolinx at an undetermined date..
Description: Runs from the future Finch West station, eastbound to Finch Station (Yonge).


Overview: Phase One will introduce 69.4 km of new rapid transit to Toronto. This will increase the size of the rapid transit network to 186.8 km, 275% larger than it is currently. This comes at a cost of $16.7 Billion. $6.81 Billion will come from City of Toronto.

PXinTPZ.png


Phase Two
Finch LRT - Don Mills Extension
Length: 5.1 km
Price: $393 Million
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: At grade
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Not proposed
Description: Designed to connect the Finch Crosstown LRT to the Downtown Relief Line.



Kipling BRT
Length: 12.3 km
Price: $98.4 Million ($8 Million/km cited from Calgary Transit)
Technology: BRT
Grade: At grade (ROW)
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Not proposed
Description: Far west Toronto lack any north/south rapid transit corridors. This will provide it at an affordable price.


Scarborough - Downtown Express
Length: 11.2 km
Price: $800 Million
Technology: Subway running in preexisting rail corridors
Grade: At grade
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Unproposed
Description: Provides express rapid transit from Kennedy Station to Gerrard Station (DRL). Will have three stations, Gerrard (DRL), Main Street (Bloor-Danforth), Kennedy (Bloor-Danforth, Eglinton Crosstown LRT, SRT, Malvern LRT). Expected travel time to Downtown is 15 minutes. Subway rolling stock will be used and stored at Greenwood yard. The line will travel on existing rail corridors

Overview: Phase Two will introduce 28.6 km of new rapid transit to Toronto. This will increase the size of the rapid transit network to 223.9 km, 315% larger than it is currently. This comes at a cost of $1.2 Billion.

2x8vQmK.png


Phase Three
Finch Crosstown - Morningside Extension
Length: 11.4km
Price: $885 Million
Technology: LRT
Grade: At Grade (ROW)
Status: Unproposed
Funding: City of Toronto
Description: Designed to provide rapid transit to northern Scarborough. Duplicates service provided by Shepparrd LRT.

Sheppard Subway - Western Extension
Length: 4.5 km
Price: $1.35 Billion
Technology: Subway
Grade: Underground
Funding: City of Toronto
Status: Proposed
Description: Will connect Sheppard Subway to Spadina Subway. A huge issue with this extension is that it will be underused. An alternative option is to convert the existing Sheppard Subway to LRT. However, this is more expensive than the Subway extension option.


Eglinton Crosstown LRT - Eastern Elevation
Length: 6km
Price: $900 Million
Technology: Light Rail
Grade: Elevated
Funding: City of Toronto and/or Metrolinx
Status: Wanted by Metrolinx, however Toronto has chosen to run it at grade in a right of way.
Description: Designed to improve performance of the ECLRT. Will also allow the ECLRT to be interlined the SRT.

Overview: Phase 3 adds or modifies 21.9km of transit in Toronto. 15.8 km of this is brand new transit. This bring the grand total of rapid transit in Toronto to 234.4 km, 330% more than today. This will cost Toronto $3.13 Billion.

iykTEai.png


Conclusion
Phases one and two of the project must be built. This will cost Toronto $8.1 Billion and will introduce 147 km of rapid transit, increasing the size of the RT network to 215.4 km. To achieve this size, Metrolinx/Ottawa will have to make good on their plans to pay for the DRL (Part A), Finch West LRT (Centennial to Yonge), Yonge subway extension, Spadina subway extension, and Eglinton Crosstown to Pearson, which will come it at $16.3 Billion. .

Part three is optional and will cost the city $3.1 Billion for only 10.5 km of new transit. The relatively expensive price makes this part of the project unrealistic
 
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wait wait wait wait wait...... how in the hell do you propose to build a 13km of BRT for less than $100 million? or a subway with 3 stops running 10.6 km for $700 million!?!

to suggest that system will cost $8 billion is absurd. it would cost at minimum $30 billion...
 
innsertnamehere said:
wait wait wait wait wait...... how in the hell do you propose to build a 13km of BRT for less than $100 million? to suggest that system will cost $8 billion is absurd. it would cost at minimum $30 billion...
Click to expand...

I found a BRT that cost $8 Million/km. I simply applied that cost/km to the Kipling BRT. The issue was that there was a wide range of values for the cost of BRT/km. I've seen as low as $100,000/km (which is insane) to $15 million/km. $8 Million/km seemed reasonable to me, and it's also what Calgary transit used when discussing costs of BRT. I'll certainly reevaluate it though.

or a subway with 3 stops running 10.6 km for $700 million!?!
Click to expand...

It's not exactly a subway. It would be running on existing rail corridors. Should be very cheap to build. Definitely no more than $1.2 Billion at the expensive side of the scale.

innsertnamehere said:
wait wait wait wait wait...... how in the hell do you propose to build a 13km of BRT for less than $100 million? or a subway with 3 stops running 10.6 km for $700 million!?!

to suggest that system will cost $8 billion is absurd. it would cost at minimum $30 billion...
Click to expand...

And remember, the $8.1 Billion total is only what Toronto will be paying. All these projects in total, with funding from all levels of government will cost somewhere around $27 Billion. Metrolinx/Ottawa is planning to pay $19.3 Billion which covers the DRL (Part A), Finch West LRT (Centennial to Yonge), Yonge subway extension, Spadina subway extension, and Eglinton Crosstown to Pearson in addition to current TC routes.
 
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