micheal_can
Senior Member
In other words, outside Toronto's downtown core, there are places where burying part of the line will make sense.
sixrings
Senior Member
That would be his/her opinion. I think comparing this section to either eglinton or Yonge is crazy but that’s just my opinion.
micheal_can
Senior Member
Is there space for 2 tracks and 4 thru lanes as well as turning lanes at all lights? If so, then your opinion is correct. However, if all of that cannot fit, then it needs to go underground.
ARG1
Senior Member
Really, you think comparing these 3 areas are crazy? They look pretty similar to me...
sixrings
Senior Member
That’s a very cut and dry way of making decisions. Also needs is a strong word.
micheal_can
Senior Member
Look everywhere else that LRT is being built. That is what is there. So, the powers that be already have decided that is a minimum.
sixrings
Senior Member
The powers at be had this line at grade without the stipulations you think are essential. You can disagree with the professionals at the time but they were still professionals which recommended this and had good reason to.
sixrings
Senior Member
It’s crazy to me because downtown Brampton lacks the foot or car traffic that these two areas have. It’s also a bit crazy since the redevelopment downtown Brampton is significantly behind. And if downtown Brampton ever did boom the majority of the riders would be using the GO train not this lrt.
Burying a small section of the line will not increase ridership, or make the line run any smoother but will cost significant extra funds which could go elsewhere.
The cost is THE biggest reason I think it’s crazy. We could be using that money elsewhere. But I know subway subway subway people are happy to wait.
The real reason this part of Brampton ever said no to the at grade lrt wasn’t because of the downtown section but because of a few huge houses just south of it which were so big the only thing bigger was their NIMBY protests.
ARG1
Senior Member
It seems you don't understand what's going on in Brampton. Brampton is currently the hotspot for the tens of thousands of international students that come to Ontario every year. They are the reason why Zum ridership has absolutely exploded in the last decade, currently smashing pre-covid records.
These students are currently packed in small apartments that house up to 24 people, and that don't have the money to afford or get around by car. They also make up a large chunk of the Kitchener Line ridership including packing the coaches with bikes (If you've ever been on a weekend Kitchener Line train, you'd see just how insane it gets in terms of ridership).
All of this is to say, if there is a city that can easily generate the necessary foot traffic for such a project, it is without question Brampton.
sixrings
Senior Member
I am quite familiar with Brampton. I just disagree with your assessment. Someone else can argue with the pro subways subways subways crowd. I just don’t care enough today.
drum118
Superstar
Jan 30
One needs to look at Europe to see how they would handle the LRT in the Brampton Downtown area like they have done so in many cities to date.
I haven't had the time to post photos that have been online for my site over the past week or so or even look at the line. I was planning to do it on Saturday but went off the rail.
I took a walk to the mall as I needed to look at a new phone and provider before going to a meeting at City Hall as well having a look at the work for the corridor The hold westside of Hurontario St was fence off from Elm Dr to Burnhamthorpe including the access to Matthew Gates. Riders who normally catch a bus or get off one at Mathew had to walk to/from the northside of Burhamthorpe to do it as they were preparing the northbound for paving on Wed. They also mill part of the existing lane to help with the paving. The stops will be back to normal location by the weekend. Coming home tonight, they opened one crosswalk at Matthew Gates.
I ended up taking to some of the crew doing the cleanup and was told they would be moving to Topflight next week to get it open.
Robert Speck was to have been close to left turning traffic for the intersection to start building the guideway on Jan 24, but was still open. Coming home late tonight, it is now close to left turning in all directions with left turn signals being covered up. A boon truck then showed up that will be used to place the Jersey barriers into positions once they arrive.
The southwest corner of Burnhamthorpe intersection will not be completed for some time as they are placing hydro ducting from Burnhamthorpe to the first new hydro pole south of the hotel driveway. That must be done first before they can remove the hydro in the intersection as well as removing the overhead wires across Hurontario. Once that is done, they can build the curb and pave the road.
Until the hydro pole is removed, work on the guideway can't take place as it is being used as a stockpile for filling in the ductwork area as well material for it.
Taking to senior city staff tonight meeting, I was asked the question as to when I would see the start of service for the LRT and reply 2026. That was the same period they were looking at now without any extension to the line.
One needs to look at Europe to see how they would handle the LRT in the Brampton Downtown area like they have done so in many cities to date.
I haven't had the time to post photos that have been online for my site over the past week or so or even look at the line. I was planning to do it on Saturday but went off the rail.
I took a walk to the mall as I needed to look at a new phone and provider before going to a meeting at City Hall as well having a look at the work for the corridor The hold westside of Hurontario St was fence off from Elm Dr to Burnhamthorpe including the access to Matthew Gates. Riders who normally catch a bus or get off one at Mathew had to walk to/from the northside of Burhamthorpe to do it as they were preparing the northbound for paving on Wed. They also mill part of the existing lane to help with the paving. The stops will be back to normal location by the weekend. Coming home tonight, they opened one crosswalk at Matthew Gates.
I ended up taking to some of the crew doing the cleanup and was told they would be moving to Topflight next week to get it open.
Robert Speck was to have been close to left turning traffic for the intersection to start building the guideway on Jan 24, but was still open. Coming home late tonight, it is now close to left turning in all directions with left turn signals being covered up. A boon truck then showed up that will be used to place the Jersey barriers into positions once they arrive.
The southwest corner of Burnhamthorpe intersection will not be completed for some time as they are placing hydro ducting from Burnhamthorpe to the first new hydro pole south of the hotel driveway. That must be done first before they can remove the hydro in the intersection as well as removing the overhead wires across Hurontario. Once that is done, they can build the curb and pave the road.
Until the hydro pole is removed, work on the guideway can't take place as it is being used as a stockpile for filling in the ductwork area as well material for it.
Taking to senior city staff tonight meeting, I was asked the question as to when I would see the start of service for the LRT and reply 2026. That was the same period they were looking at now without any extension to the line.
afransen
Senior Member
If Brampton wants to insist on it being underground when perfectly viable surface solutions exist, they should pony up the delta and pay for it through property taxes.
sixrings
Senior Member
“perfectly viable surface solution” is going to be questioned by this crowd that is pretending to be open to discussion
allengeorge
Senior Member
I have to agree with @sixrings here. Notwithstanding BT’s incredibly impressive growth, the areas where those international students are is not downtown Brampton. It’s older, has far more long-term owners and the demographics are very different. Downtown Brampton has also struggled a lot to generate and maintain foot traffic.
Also, those international students aren’t gonna drive to Downtown Brampton to catch the GO, or take the LRT up from Steeles to do this. Far better to make it down to Bramalea.
ShonTron
Moderator
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Algoma University's Brampton campus is downtown. It, too, has a lot of international students (which is probably why they're located in Brampton), but it's not a scam like the colleges; they are real university instructors using real classrooms and offering bit of student life. Yet I still wish the province didn't pull the rug out from under the Sheridan/TMU campus in 2018.