TTC: Waterfront Transit EA

[dowlingm]

Looks like some funding just opened up....how long till we apply for it...should cover the current plans no?

The Brampton line is a Metrolinx asset. QQE/EBF is a TTC asset. I suspect Metrolinx will seek to target its own projects with the "extra" cash. If within the 416 that means Finch phase 2, Crosstown phase 2... or just dealing with cost overruns from existing projects.

 

[raptor]

From the WaterfrontToronto September 16 DRP meeting minutes:

One of the Panel Members asked what transit plans were in place for the precinct plan given that there is no money to fund an LRT. Mr. Macrae stated that although speculative, it may be possible that a financial component of the sales of the LCBO lands could go towards funding the LRT. The Panel Member suggested that a condition of the feasibility of this precinct plan should be securing funding for transit.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

That's a fantastic idea.

I assume that before the money generated from the sales of the lands would've gone into a general funding pool?

 

[ehlow]

https://twitter.com/moore_oliver/status/699569076595613696

New transit plan shows Waterfront LRT east to Leslie. Has it ever been proposed this far east? (I thought Parliament was the previous eastern terminus)

How would it get over the river to Leslie? The map also implies possibility of future extension further east.

 

[gweed123]

https://twitter.com/moore_oliver/status/699569076595613696

New transit plan shows Waterfront LRT east to Leslie. Has it ever been proposed this far east? (I thought Parliament was the previous eastern terminus)

How would it get over the river to Leslie? The map also implies possibility of future extension further east.

Good question. Also to be answered is whether this would be using the existing 509 trackage to Exhibition, or if this would be using the Bremner alignment. The map (pretty ugly map too if you ask me) doesn't really make it too clear.

 

[44 North]

https://twitter.com/moore_oliver/status/699569076595613696

New transit plan shows Waterfront LRT east to Leslie. Has it ever been proposed this far east? (I thought Parliament was the previous eastern terminus)

How would it get over the river to Leslie? The map also implies possibility of future extension further east.

It is interesting them showing the line going further east of Leslie. I guess this is similar to the original original waterfront LRT plans from decades ago (with the line connecting to Coxwell). As well, I think they may drop the Bremner portion of the WWLRT - which would be costly and complicated.

As for the section in the eastern waterfront. A lot of this is still TBD AFAIK. I noticed the map also didn't include showing connections to the Cherry spur/loop, or the proposed Broadview extension.

early 90's vision



circa Transit City map:

 

[nfitz]

New transit plan shows Waterfront LRT east to Leslie. Has it ever been proposed this far east? (I thought Parliament was the previous eastern terminus)

How would it get over the river to Leslie? The map also implies possibility of future extension further east.

There are various current plans floating around, where it can turn south on Cherry, and east on Commissioners to Leslie. Going past Leslie is a rare twist.

 

[gweed123]

There are various current plans floating around, where it can turn south on Cherry, and east on Commissioners to Leslie. Going past Leslie is a rare twist.

I've always thought Woodbine Beach was a logical terminus. It's a pretty decent off-peak generator in the summer months, and there's plenty of space there to build a loop. Also, the Lake Shore ROW is pretty wide east of Leslie.

 

[nfitz]

I've always thought Woodbine Beach was a logical terminus. It's a pretty decent off-peak generator in the summer months, and there's plenty of space there to build a loop. Also, the Lake Shore ROW is pretty wide east of Leslie.

Lakeshore turns into which is 5 lanes to Kingston Road. I wonder if there's a way to squeeze in 2 tracks, keep 4 lanes, steal a bit of land from the cemetary north of Kingston Road., and perhaps build a portal there, going underground up to Woodbine station - which would only be about 1 km of tunnel.

 

[gweed123]

Lakeshore turns into which is 5 lanes to Kingston Road. I wonder if there's a way to squeeze in 2 tracks, keep 4 lanes, steal a bit of land from the cemetary north of Kingston Road., and perhaps build a portal there, going underground up to Woodbine station - which would only be about 1 km of tunnel.

Interesting idea. That area naturally slopes up anyway, so putting the portal on a section of hill would reduce the roller coaster-ness of it all, too. That would basically turn the Waterfront LRT into a second, "wider" DRL in the east end. Squeezing in a ROW may be tough on an existing 5 lane cross section, but maybe if they did a St. Clair-style lane narrowing it might work.

EDIT: If you wanted to go with a cheaper option, put it in mixed traffic after Woodbine beach, and then route it along the existing Gerrard tracks to Main St Station.

 

[ehlow]

I've always thought Woodbine Beach was a logical terminus. It's a pretty decent off-peak generator in the summer months, and there's plenty of space there to build a loop. Also, the Lake Shore ROW is pretty wide east of Leslie.

It would be so great to have better/faster transit to the Beach/Beaches. Great attraction in Toronto, tougher to get to by transit.

When Beaches Jazz street fest happens the buses to Bloor are overloaded.

 

[gweed123]

It would be so great to have better/faster transit to the Beach/Beaches. Great attraction in Toronto, tougher to get to by transit.

When Beaches Jazz street fest happens the buses to Bloor are overloaded.

Even trying to get there on a normal summer day, your two options are the Queen streetcar (which still requires a pretty decent walk if you have small kids), or the Woodbine bus, which is pretty infrequent. To have a connection directly from Union would be huge for the area. Toronto has some great beaches, but they're not very accessible by transit. Cherry is even worse.

 

[ehlow]

Even trying to get there on a normal summer day, your two options are the Queen streetcar (which still requires a pretty decent walk if you have small kids), or the Woodbine bus, which is pretty infrequent. To have a connection directly from Union would be huge for the area. Toronto has some great beaches, but they're not very accessible by transit. Cherry is even worse.

Glad to see they are expanding the beach downtown express route
http://www.ttc.ca/Service_Advisories/Service_changes/feb143.jsp

Of course, it doesn't help for people trying to get there to enjoy the beach.

 

[drum118]

Its nice to see them finally come to sense to have an LRT going east to Leslie when the original plan call for it going to Woodbine. Also dealing with TTC decision to pull it from the master plan after it was approved by all levels within Toronto when the province wanted the master EA broken down into 3 separate EA at the very end. Been fighting for it since I learn it was kill. Can't see it using Bremner.

One hopes they take the west extension along the Lake Shore 100% west of Dufferin St, not the jog to Humber Loop as plan. Keeping it 100% on the Lake Shore will require the Humber Bridge to be rebuilt.

The line will connect with the Cherry Line, but Union is still going to be an issue to the point this line bypass Union as well service it. Cherry St Line is still 10-15 years down the road and only after the Mouth of The Don is Finish.

 

[nfitz]

Even trying to get there on a normal summer day ..., or the Woodbine bus, which is pretty infrequent.

How is every 7 minutes (weekdays, Saturday, Sunday) infrequent? In New York City the D train to Coney Island is only every 10 minutes!