nfitz
Superstar
Probably after the June 2, 2022 election.
The city and TTC have now shuttered the project website - http://www.scarboroughsubwayextension.ca/
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The city and TTC have now shuttered the project website - http://www.scarboroughsubwayextension.ca/
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
I hope you’re wrong, but I suspect you’re right. It’s been around a year since any substantive progress on this project, correct? This thing is supposedly supposed to be operational in 6 years...
nfitz
Superstar
Is? No, that's ended. The new Ontario legislation made it clear that Toronto and TTC can't touch the project. And in the original announcement Doug Ford used the year 2030. Which means the contract goes to tender after the next election, rather than this year.
A great man once said that transit delayed is transit denied.
syn
Senior Member
I have no idea why you're blaming Maltow for this.
He's simply responding to The Star's investigative report. What he said in the article has no bearing on the current project; the province has taken over.
Scarborough would have their own brand new version of the Ontario Line running right now if it wasn't for a certain Mayor who canceled the fully funded plan and threw millions down the drain to 'respect the taxpayer'.
It seems every failed Toronto transit project in recent memory has a Ford behind it.
rbt
Senior Member
Ford when announcing his subway plan moved the targeted service date to "before 2030".
The city isn't allowed to work on it, and Metrolinx has December 31st, 2029 as a target.
syn
Senior Member
A more accurate quote (given the context) would be "Transit delayed is a future Ford election slogan made".
nfitz
Superstar
Absolutely. Doug Ford has to be the worst Premier in the history of Ontario. With Rob Ford being the worst mayor in the history of Toronto.
They've set back transit back many years in Toronto - which was already suffering from the delays created by Premier Miller and Harris.
What amazes me is that some were so utterly naive after all the lies and corruption by Doug Ford while he was in council, to think this time would be any different. I guess though we know which individuals in this thread, to never trust again!
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
Oh, wow. I haven't been on here recently, so that's genuinely news to me.
This government certainly isn't getting re-elected, so this project might as well be dead. I expect the next government will re-download the project to the TTC in 2022 so they can resume planning; it's the only logical way to get out of this mess. What a waste of 4 years
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
So what’s going to happen to the SRT over the next decade? Has Metrolinx come up with any arrangements to replace it in the interim? Decommissioning was planned for 2024, and I don’t think we can safely extend the life into the 2030s. I assume it’ll be replaced by buses in the meanwhile
drum118
Superstar
Where do you expect TTC store buses that will need to be bought to not only service the SRT, but all streetcar lines that will be bus until more cars are order???
Some of the existing streetcar lines will need buses also to deal with the increase of ridership. Even though TTC was planning on reducing the bus fleet on the opening of Finch and Crosstown LRT lines, it can't if they are to add more service system wide. One new bus garage opening in 2020 is not going to cover the needs for more storage when it takes 5 years to build a new one. Finding land for garages or streetcar yard is a major issue today.
If the SRT conversion to LRT took place as plan with an opening in 2018, there would be no fleet for it since BBD was to built it. Then, maybe Metrolinx would gone to another supplier long before the mess pertaining to Eglinton and other lines.
nfitz
Superstar
As a rapid transit line, that's along the proposed subway, TTC would be forbidden from life-extending this any further. Up to the province ... I assume that it simply get's closed early, in the absence of anything else.
I doubt very much that Doug Ford understands quite what he has done here. But I'm glad that city taxes won't be paying for it any more!
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
You're right. I suggested the bus replacement under the assumption that the TTC could just pull dozens of buses and the required infrastructure out of thin air.
I suppose if the TTC admits that the SRT life extension will be inadequate within the next year (by 2020), we could perhaps build a new bus garage somewhere (I don't know where) within the next 5 years, such that the SRT can be decommissioned by 2025. This isn't a good plan by any stretch of the imagination, but it might be the best we can do.
Of course this would require Queen's Park to publicly admit that this extension won't be opening anywhere around 2024, which they're probably not willing to do. Also, that's a lot of money to spend on a bus garage and buses that might only be needed for <5 years (population growth might allow us to put it to use in the future, however).
Are you serious? The TTC is legally forbidden from extending the life of the SRT beyond the currently set closure date? Is that actually what is says in the legislation? That sounds so crazy that I don't want to believe it, but I wouldn't put it beyond this government.
You'd think there'd be someone smart enough in Queen's Park to point out the conrqunces of these decisions. Or maybe they just don't care.
Rainforest
Senior Member
If anybody bothered to actually read the Star's piece, they would see the accurate description of what happened:
- Some experts opined that the light rail line in the Uxbridge sub corridor might interfere with the GO expansion plans
- Some experts opined that the said light rail line might be compatible with the GO plans
- Both opinions have some grounds, and in a way, both may be correct. Say, double-tracking the GO line might leave enough space for LRT, while triple-tracking it, or adding bypass tracks in the more distant future might conflict with the LRT.
All the above information is just common knowledge.
However, the Star tries to spin the story using a catchy title, "Metrolinx withheld information ..". Some readers will just look at the title without shuffling through the details, and conclude that a new relevant argument in favor of the LRT option has just been discovered.
- Some experts opined that the light rail line in the Uxbridge sub corridor might interfere with the GO expansion plans
- Some experts opined that the said light rail line might be compatible with the GO plans
- Both opinions have some grounds, and in a way, both may be correct. Say, double-tracking the GO line might leave enough space for LRT, while triple-tracking it, or adding bypass tracks in the more distant future might conflict with the LRT.
All the above information is just common knowledge.
However, the Star tries to spin the story using a catchy title, "Metrolinx withheld information ..". Some readers will just look at the title without shuffling through the details, and conclude that a new relevant argument in favor of the LRT option has just been discovered.
rbt
Senior Member
Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019
Bill 107 from Parliament 42 Session 1 of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario: Getting Ontario Moving Act (Transportation Statute Law Amendment), 2019.
SRT is within close proximity of the Scarborough subway project and a strict reading of "work on" to would include major capital improvements to existing assets in the region. Ministerial approval would be required, and likely would be granted; a smart Mayor will immediately remind the city taxpayer the province was the sole cause of the investment and demand compensation.
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nfitz
Superstar
Bingo ...
Work on could be pretty broad really. Does that forbid repairs? Maintenance? I don't think that the regulation has actually been enacted ... and I doubt that TTC would stop maintaining it, as they'd assume that the province wouldn't enforce it.
But is surely precludes any further life extension work.