TTC: Sheppard Subway Expansion (Speculative)

[Tulse]

And here is exactly what I was talking about. This kind of analysis is done by virtually every commuter in the outer 416. Yet, somehow, transit fans and transit planners can't seem to relate or don't seem to care.

Do you really think that the key observation that "Driving is far more expensive, but it’s also faster" is somehow a radical and novel revelation? I don't understand the author's, and thus your, complaint. There is simply no way to make transit faster than point-to-point driving for all circumstances, or likely even the majority of circumstances. What do you suggest transit planners do -- create publicly funded transporter beams?

 

[Justin10000]

http://www.moneyville.ca/blog/post/1072289--why-i-don-t-take-public-transit-anymore

And here is exactly what I was talking about. This kind of analysis is done by virtually every commuter in the outer 416. Yet, somehow, transit fans and transit planners can't seem to relate or don't seem to care.

How can you accommodate for every single possible trip? It's impossible. Not only that, clearly from the article, the writer would use GO train, if it did not end at 8:20. The answer is right there... All day GO service. It's pointless to build a subway when commuter rail can do the job better.

 

[kEiThZ]

Do you really think that the key observation that "Driving is far more expensive, but it’s also faster" is somehow a radical and novel revelation? I don't understand the author's, and thus your, complaint. There is simply no way to make transit faster than point-to-point driving for all circumstances, or likely even the majority of circumstances. What do you suggest transit planners do -- create publicly funded transporter beams?

No. What I am suggesting is that transit dollars should be dedicated towards projects that offer significant reductions in travel times. Why are we still about stringing LRTs along avenues in Scarborough when the vast majority of residents just want faster rides to the core and would be better served by frequent all-day GO service with integrated TTC fares?

 

[kEiThZ]

How can you accommodate for every single possible trip? It's impossible. Not only that, clearly from the article, the writer would use GO train, if it did not end at 8:20. The answer is right there... All day GO service. It's pointless to build a subway when commuter rail can do the job better.

Most transitfans however are out there campaigning for Transit City when they should be screaming for frequent all-day GO service and full TTC-GO fare and service integration.

 

[sixrings]

No subway will be fast enough for Car drivers... We need Go for that.. I see you understand that.

 

[gweed123]

Most transitfans however are out there campaigning for Transit City when they should be screaming for frequent all-day GO service and full TTC-GO fare and service integration.

It's not as flashy as a new LRT or subway, that's why.

 

[Paleo]

Most transitfans however are out there campaigning for Transit City when they should be screaming for frequent all-day GO service and full TTC-GO fare and service integration.

So let's extend the subway to Agincourt?

A Sheppard subway will never have large a volume of usage unless a downtown-level of jobs appears somewhere along the line.

 

[Justin10000]

Most transitfans however are out there campaigning for Transit City when they should be screaming for frequent all-day GO service and full TTC-GO fare and service integration.

First Transit city was to blame for limited subway expansion, now Transit City is holding up all day GO expansion..

Good lord...

I would blame Sheppard Subway advocates for holding up all day GO expansion!

 

[Dan416]

I see there's still some people on here who cannot get over the fact that Sheppard has a subway. Get over it people!

And fyi, it's well used by worldwide standards!

 

[Justin10000]

I see there's still some people on here who cannot get over the fact that Sheppard has a subway. Get over it people!

And fyi, it's well used by worldwide standards!

I see there are still people who still want to spend billions to extend a underused subway! Get over it people!

 

[Rainforest]

^ A short subway extension combined with BRT will not cost much more than SELRT.

For example, let's consider an extension to Warden (I see some advantages of this choice, although cases can be made for going only to Vic Park, or as far as Agincourt).

Don Mills to Warden is 3.5 km, at $400m / km it comes to $1.4 billion. A busway from there to Markham Rd, about 7.5 km at say $40m / km, would add 300 million; I assume congestion is not a major issue east of Markham Rd. so the bus can continue in mixed traffic. The total cost would be about $1.7 billion, versus $1.2 billion that were scheduled for SELRT.

And the operating costs of the extended subway could be partly offset by directing half of Finch East buses to the new subway terminus at Warden & Sheppard.

 

[sixrings]

i can live with a east ward extension but only if it includes a westward link to the downsview side. that has to be at least equal if not more important then going to warden.

 

[Rainforest]

i can live with a east ward extension but only if it includes a westward link to the downsview side. that has to be at least equal if not more important then going to warden.

From the network connectivity standpoint, a westward extension is more desirable. On the other hand, the immediate ridership counts east of Don Mills would be higher than west of Yonge. The usage of the Yonge - Downsview link might gradually increase in future if more destinations are created along the Spadina extension.

 

[44 North]

Can someone explain if/how a westward Sheppard extension to Downsview would relieve the Yonge line? I've heard this argument several times, but IMO it seems very wrong. If anything, it would add to congestion on Yonge. Nobody traveling west on Sheppard to go downtown would travel all the way to Downsview (Dufferin/Sheppard E), only to double back on the Spadina line.

 

[nfitz]

Nobody traveling west on Sheppard to go downtown would travel all the way to Downsview (Dufferin/Sheppard E), only to double back on the Spadina line.

I know people who already travel north from Sheppard to North York Centre to get a seat on a train heading south. If someone was heading to UT or the hospitals, they might well head west to Downsview ...

But I don't think anyone ever has said it would be a massive impact.