Toronto one step closer to huge subway expansion

The Yonge Line is expected to reach capacity by 2031. That's why at today's city council meeting, councillors were serious about moving a downtown relief line forward.

Councillors voted 42-1 in favour of the new relief line alignment, which would see this subway line run below Carlaw Avenue, from Pape Station, towards Queen Street (Queen and Osgoode stations) downtown.

Downtown relief line + Yonge subway extension get green light with 42-1 vote. Story shortly. #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/gSMuGGdQyO

— John Rieti (@johnrieti) May 24, 2017

They also voted to move ahead with the Yonge subway extension, which would bring the TTC trains north into York Region but not before the relief line opens thanks to an amendment from Councillor John Filion.

Relief Line item as amended passes 42-1. pic.twitter.com/QTacjUdfeF

— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) May 24, 2017

Mayor John Tory previously said, as CP24 notes, that Toronto would stop working on this extension if the province refused to fund the relief line. However, he soon changed his tune and said it would be beneficial if he worked with mayors in York Region to secure funding for both projects.

Here’s how the relief line subway looks now that they’ve decided on the Carlaw alignment. pic.twitter.com/wRec8G8GhM

— Matt Elliott (@GraphicMatt) May 9, 2017

Today's vote marks progress in terms of political will and collective agreement about Toronto's transit priorities, but a relief line itself is still mostly unfunded and more than a decade away.

Earlier today, Mayor Tory sent a letter to TTC CEO Andy Byford, asking the transit agency to looking into short term solutions to reduce over-crowding on subway cars during peak hours.