City
Metrolinx Delays Transit Plan. Again.
What ever happened to the talk of a new approach to transit planning that takes into account the whole GTA region?
A report due this summer was expected to kickstart implementation of a plan. Unfortunately it has been delayed until the Fall. Delays happen, but this wasn't the first time, as it was originally expected in the Spring. July 25th was the second scheduled date the "Regional Transportation Plan" was to have been provided to the Metrolinx board. Now it's moved back to September 26th this year.
Metrolinx, (otherwise known as the Greater Toronto Transportation Authority) is the public authority set up to oversee the new approach to regional transit planning. Not surprisingly, it's been reported that the major holdup is due to reviewing of the funding aspect of the plan.
My guess is that no one, including Metrolinx, knows how a regional plan would be governed. A Toronto Star article this week highlights some of the governance issues at play. It's easy enough to throw together some good investment ideas, and even secure government funding; but it is yet to be seen if Metrolinx will have the political clout to actually push things forward. They'll have to deal with public consultations, not-in-my-backyard reflexes, and politicians at every level clamoring for spending to take place in their jurisdictions.
If you're interested in checking out some of the details of plans drawn up so far, you can visit the Metrolinx Regional Transportation Plan page.
Photo: dutchb0y's photostream
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east of Bayview would be very interesting - I'd love to drive a TBM right under the moneyed set who agitated for speedhumps on the Post Road, which impedes ambulances heading for Sunnybrook.
East from Leslie and West from Black Creek Eglinton is generally wide enough to support surface level rail (whether that's Light or Heavy Rail) not true of Lawrence/Dixon.
You want to try and build something of a grid, which you get with Lakeshore/Bloor/Eglinton/Finch. If you did Lakeshore/Bloor/Lawrence-Dixon/Finch then you have unoptimal spacing as you move North.
Eglinton extends/connects easily into the dense residential/employment areas of Mississauga and can be set up to catch car commuters coming off the 401, Dixon bumps into the airport, going west into Brampton/Missisauga is much more difficult and you lose the opportunity to siphon car commuters off the 401.
An LRT can be built in less than 4 years, whereas subways tend to take over a decade, that is if they aren't canceled by a change in government mid-way. A very real concern, we have had that happen a number of times to our city.
Anybody want another 4 km stubway?
But above all, LRT service will do wonders to make Eglinton into a true Avenue which is walkable and has medium-density throughout, rather than isolated clusters of condo towers that the subway tends to promote.
If Metrolinx wants a cross-town super fast express route, do it in a hydro corridor, or a rail corridor instead.