News Flash
The fate of Transit City
The fate of Transit City has been the talk of Toronto today, as Rob Ford officially took up his post at the mayor's office. During a press scrum, the new mayor revealed that he had an early morning meeting with TTC GM Gary Webster in which he told him that the primarily LRT-based project was finished. "We just had a meeting about subways....I just wanted to make it quite clear that he understood that Transit City's over. The war on the car is over. All new subway expansion is going underground. That's pretty well it," Ford told reporters afterward.
But the question that's on many people's minds is whether or not Ford has the authority to single-handedly kill the project, which has already received some $130-million worth of funding from the province of Ontario.
He can't. But, he might be able to have the matter up for debate as early as the December 16 city council meeting. Although Ford has yet to meet with Dalton McGuinty, the premier did sound amenable to discussion of a new direction for Toronto transit, but also warned that "If there are changes to be proposed connected with the original plan -- and there are costs associated with that -- those will be visited upon the council and the people of Toronto."
More reading here:
Discussion
29 Comments
Sort By Oldest First / Newest First
Subscribe
No mention of how much it's going to cost to break all contracts already signed. Ask anyone from Ottawa how happy they are with how much they paid doing this in turn to get absolutely nothing for their millions.
No word on the fact about how long it took Toronto to get to this point and now we're just about ready to build. Ford will be long gone before his plan ever gets anywhere near out of consultation or environmental assessments. Only to have whatever Mayor we have to once again insert his vision.
This city is seriously screwed.
It's nice to finally see some sanity in city council!
We wan deficits damn it!
But to those that don't want to see another decade of inaction on transit, it's not too late! Call or email your councillor, Rob Ford, Karen Stintz, Metrolinx, your MPP, the premier.
Find your councillor and the Mayor here:
http://app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
And your MPP and Premier here:
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en
"subway(noun) - an electric railway operating below the surface of the ground (usually in a city)"
Wasn't that what we were getting???
In the few weeks hes been transitioning none of his proposals save the city any money!
The tunnel boring machines are already paid for - $54 million - and construction has started.
Were none of Ford's base alive in 1995? This political posturing bullshit is exactly what Harris did to kill the Sheppard and Eglinton lines that - ironically - would have delivered rail public transit to Etobicoke and Scarborough.
Rob Ford's papa was an MP in the Harris government. This is carrying on a family tradition of blocking improvement in GTA transit.
"Yeah F U to Miller and his 278 million dollar surplus."
The whole "surplus" thing is a myth.
Miller blew through millions on vanity bullshit projects, and totally ignored the state of Toronto's roads! He wasted millions more on Transhit City, possibly the dumbest fing idea of all time. Yeah, that's what a city with a population fast approaching three million needs -- fruity little LRTs! SUBWAYS, DAMMIT!
To those who are concerned about money, get your head out of your ass and realize that shutting down projects like this only waste MORE MONEY. We are a very unique city in regards to transportation and to have some clueless suburbanite (like most people who think Rob Ford is heaven sent) destroy projects that we desperately need, I fear for the future of Toronto.
hmmm
You have a lot of energy.. can I hand you a shovel and you can start digging your subway to nowhere?
Let this ford's loony pay for it. Ford's base is quacked beyond belief. If you want Subways signup and foot the bill.
Here's a clear picture that speaks 3 Billion words that even a Ford Disciple should be able to understand:
http://thumbshift.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/ford-goes-down/
Jo
http://thumbshift.wordpress.com/2010/12/02/ford-goes-down/
Jo
Ford wants the entire line to be underground which would not interfere with above ground arterial traffic on eglinton
It's a good idea, if it can be done in the same timely manner... and if everyone would stop arguing and let something actually be done about this city's transit problems.
Ford wants the entire line to be underground which would not interfere with above ground arterial traffic on eglinton
It's a good idea, if it can be done in the same timely manner... and if everyone would stop arguing and let something actually be done about this city's transit problems.
No shit Sherlock. Subways can only be built underground (or elevated).
Light Rail (Transit City LRTs) can switch between tunnels and surface right-of-ways safely and can therefore be built cheaper.