TTC: Stations that Need Improvements

[nfitz]

Anyone notice that St. George's ceiling at platform level got a fresh coat of white paint?

A lot of the Bloor/Danforth stations got a fresh coat of white paint on the ceiling last year. Many also got the yellowed light coverings replaced, and the lettering on the wall repainted. Looks a lot less dingy, for a relatively small $.

I'm glad to see this maintenance picking up. The costs are relatively small compared to the other bigger projects ... it's a shame someone a few years ago thought that cutting them was a good use of $.

 

[TTC12]

Saw another improvement going of this week.

I noticed some major construction at Bathurst. The Stairs that lead to street level inside the station were closed, and the tiles were removed, right now they're sanding them. Anyone have any information on this? Maybe they're laying new tiles perhaps? Are they doing this at any other stations or at other staircases in Bathurst?

I've also noticed some work at spadina, big chunks of tiles have been removed at several parts at platform level, anyone have any idea what they're going to fill these holes with? Same goes with the Huge chunck they took out at Yonge where the foaming wall of doom used ot be.

 

[junctionist]

Glencairn has these exquisite small rectangular tiles from the 1970s meant to evoke brick, but the TTC recently did a renovation, stripping them from much of the floor. They replaced them with the most generic square light gray tiles.

They also removed Glencairn's unique red seats. I hope the TTC placed those in storage before the renovation instead of destroying them.

 

[Towered]

I noticed the other day that the ugly slats on the walls at Union on the platform level have been removed. What are they being replaced with?

 

[Cyril Sneer]

Still tons of work going on at Pape everyday. There's nothing visibly new, but I can't wait until they pull down the construction barriers.

 

[nfitz]

Still tons of work going on at Pape everyday. There's nothing visibly new, but I can't wait until they pull down the construction barriers.

All the work has been at the surface so far, apart from some hoarding. Some of the old station wals have come out, and they are digging down from the closed bus bay, and preparing to dig the new entrance.

It will be nice when it is done, and clean, but the Pape work seems to really miss an opportunity. From the plans that were floating around before construction started, some pedestrian traffic may be diverted out the new exit, but the vast majority of people will still be using the narrow hallways and escalators that they use now. At the same time, while there may be more enclosed area in the surface building, there will only be 3 bus platforms, which is causing issues currently during construction. Given that the Transit City Bus Plan calls for the implementation of express bus service for Don Mills in 2011, it seems bizarre that they are going to run 4 routes out of 3 platforms.

 

[GTS]

Pape is going to need another renovation if the Don Mills LRT gets funding. I appreciate the fact that Pape Station is being worked on, I don't use that stop that often but am glad it is being improved because this is a busy station. I live near Victoria Park Station, and this one is pretty far along its moderniztion. I use Warden Station mostly though, and this station really needs an investment as well so it can lose the seperated bus bays, very innieficient use of space, but, the bus ways into the Station are really well designed. I am glad the TTC is expanding the network with some new LRT lines and such but I think it is just as important to improve what we have which is what the Station Modernization Program is trying to tackle.

 

[nfitz]

Pape is going to need another renovation if the Don Mills LRT gets funding.

If it ever get's funded, and they haven't chosen an alignment yet; this could still go into either Donlands or Broadview ... and they were discussing Castle Frank at one point.

It just seems to be a shame to me to spend $20-million to do so much work on the station for a second entrance, and accessibility, and yet be doing nothing to widen the existing passageways - or that very narrow stair/escalator leading to the main entrance to the mezzanine.

 

[Northern Light]

If it ever get's funded, and they haven't chosen an alignment yet; this could still go into either Donlands or Broadview ... and they were discussing Castle Frank at one point.

It just seems to be a shame to me to spend $20-million to do so much work on the station for a second entrance, and accessibility, and yet be doing nothing to widen the existing passageways - or that very narrow stair/escalator leading to the main entrance to the mezzanine.

The Mezzanine will be widened to a great degree, via the accessibility improvements. To get around those stairs that split the mezzanine into two, they are building a new ramp on the east side of the existing mezzanine from the southernmost point to about where the stairs up to the main entrance are.

**

They absolutely should be widening the stairs and/or building new ones. I had that discussion with some of the engineers/architects at the open house for this project.

The arguments they gave weren't insurmountable (against the widening) but we're problematic. The south wall of the station is right up against the foundation of the office tower above. And in fact, the lower part of the mezzanine apparently sits under the buildings above. (directly)

They indicated that widening was not structurally feasible on the south side, asked about 1 more stair, which they said they could do..........but that they didn't have a way to connect that new stair at the mezzanine level.

The north side I gather has far fewer obstacles, but the bottom line was not wanting to take the time or spend the money to extend the project scope.

**

Woodbine is currently next in the modernization program, and penciled in for 2014. Bloor will likely follow or return to going first, once the studies on its future and the DRL and finished.

 

[nfitz]

The Mezzanine will be widened to a great degree, via the accessibility improvements

It appears it will be widened to the east, but this area only leads to the elevators. It does nothing to improve space for people moving from the buses, or main entrance, to the trains.

If you look at the plan the TTC posted - (page 10 of http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comr...6/Pape_Stn_Approval_of_Finishes___Artwork.pdf - you can see the proposed extension in green and existing mezzanine in grey. There's no reason anyone would ever enter the green area, unless they were heading to the elevator.

If anything, things will get worse than they currently area, as it looks like they are going to add a small ramp in the upper concourse to lead to the elevators - which will only narrow an already too narrow passage.

In addition to no more usable space in the mezzanine, there's a huge expansion to the surface building. While it will improve movement on the surface a bit, the structure, and doors to the structure, aren't particularly close to the stops (unlike at Main, Kennedy, etc.). When it's busy most will still be outside, or they won't get on the first bus. If it's not busy the surface structure doesn't need to be so big. In addition the reduction in the number of bus bays to 3 seems very poorly thought out.

The whole things seems to be a huge cock-up, making the station less usable, and yet costing quite a lot of money.

Other than the new finishes, elevators, and the new entrance (which isn't connected to the main station or bus bays) which will at least benefit pedestrians walking to Eaton, I can't see much benefit in this. I'm really amazed that the public consultation process didn't bring this to light ... though perhaps a problem is the consultation process was with the local community, rather than those of us who don't live nearby, yet use the station daily to transfer from buses to the subway.

 

[fanoftoronto]

Is the TTC going to start any more Station Modernization programs in other stations? I'm asking because the Station Modernization link has been removed from the TTC site. I hope not since the program is really helping the system.

 

[GTS]

fanoftoronto...I agree, the Station Modernization is really good for us commuters, I live in Scarborough and use Vic. Park Station and Warden Station and am really glad that VP Station is being modernized. To find the list on the new TTC website ttc.ca you start on the home page of course and on the right side their is a link titled construction projects and the different Station Modernization projects are mixed in with all the other projects the TTC is doing. The info. is still there it just doesn't have its own link anymore.

 

[fanoftoronto]

But the construction projects link does not include Islington or Warden Stations both of which were supposed to be modernized but construction has not started yet. Does this mean they'll add it when the construction starts? Both these stations have similar, bad designs and it would be good if they were reconstructed.

 

[GTS]

I emailed the Station Modenization team about this, I usually save alot of my transit emails, but, I think I deleted this one. I use Victoria Park Station and Warden Station mostly from my home so I emailed the Station Modernization Team but I can't find that email. They responded that they still have plans for Warden Station and that is is to be a shared platform that all the bus routes would use and it would be located where the southern parking lot is presently. They still have to get funding for it and I hope they do. Victoria Park Station has lost its seperated bus platforms and the shared 'L' shaped platform is coming together. Hopefully the TTC will see increased ridership with the redesigned VP Station and they can convince the powers that be to release funding to modernize Warden Station and Islington as well.

I am glad they are expanding the system but I am equally glad they are improving what we have.

 

[lead82]

The southern exit to Finch station has finally opened up with some new tiles to boot! It only took 3 years to re-tile. Now if they could only renovate the rest of the station.