Tuscani01
Senior Member
Long term, but it would be incredible to see Smart Track continue along the Mississauga Transitway ROW in the future (Instead of converting the transitway to LRT), right into MCC.
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2014 Municipal Election: Toronto Transit Plans
- Thread starter denfromoakvillemilton
- Start date
ehlow
Senior Member
One thing that Tory kept repeating during the campaign, which I really hope comes to fruition, is SmartTra... whoops, I mean is having more bike facilities at TTC subway stations.
St Clair West already has sheltered bike rack areas.
Call me biased, but Eglinton station would be perfect to have bike parking, so that those who live in the dense neighbourhood around could bike to the station in a few minutes rather than walking 10 min. The buses along Eglinton are good, but many don't live directly on Eglinton, ex. the apartment buildings to the NE of Yonge-Eglinton. This greatly extends the catchment area of the stations.
The three North York Yonge stations could also benefit from having bike facilities.
St Clair West already has sheltered bike rack areas.
Call me biased, but Eglinton station would be perfect to have bike parking, so that those who live in the dense neighbourhood around could bike to the station in a few minutes rather than walking 10 min. The buses along Eglinton are good, but many don't live directly on Eglinton, ex. the apartment buildings to the NE of Yonge-Eglinton. This greatly extends the catchment area of the stations.
The three North York Yonge stations could also benefit from having bike facilities.
nfitz
Superstar
I think the one thing we can safely predict, is that relatively quickly, we'll have an end to SmartTrack or RER service doing a 90-degree turn onto Eglinton at Mount Dennis. So extending it on the Transitway to MCC won't be an option.
Metrolinx has already identified a longer-term project as being a direct Express Rail link between Mississauga City Centre and Union Station via Cooksville (branching of the Milton line).
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
First of all, you're biased
But yeah, I agree completely. I'd love to see all the stations on the TTC, or a least those in the more urbanized areas of the city, have secure bicycle parking spaces similar to what we've done at Victoria Park Station. If we had those I know many people, including myself, would just bike to the stations from our homes rather than waiting for the bus. In most cases it should actually be faster than taking the bus and of course it's a great way to encourage a more active lifestyle.
For myself it takes about 15 minutes to get to get to Eglinton Station by bus (not including waiting time), while biking would take about 7 minutes.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
Branching of the Milton line would be much more expensive than the turn at Mount Dennis (Which isn't even 90 degrees). I can see Metrolinx looking into the Smart Track option as an alternative, considering the fact that there is now municipal support for Smart Track both in Toronto, as well as in Mississauga.
It wouldn't be the first time Metrolinx has adjusted it's plans.
salsa
Senior Member
Wouldn't that express rail link need to be tunnelled?
Tuscani01
Senior Member
Not to mention that I cannot find any word on this supposed link in Metrolinx's Big Move. I think it's only speculation at this point, just like Smart Track.
robmausser
Senior Member
GO already operates more than every 15 minutes during rush hour on the Lakeshore Line with the bi-levels, so it would be pretty bizarre if they didnt wth express trains....
http://www.gotransit.com/timetables...-10-29&corridorname=Lakeshore West&parentid=1
Current rush hour for Lakeshore West:
16:43
16:47
17:00
17:10
17:18
17:25
17:37
17:43
18:13
nfitz
Superstar
It's not the turn that's the most expensive. It's the 7 km of tunnel you'd need to get heavy rail to Martin Grove.
I haven't seen any evidence of municipal support for SmartTrack. Council has yet to vote on it. Tory dodged every question that came up about Eglinton during the campaign, even commenting occasionally that the exact alignment would depend on further study - I expect he'll quickly backtrack.
And then there's the very low predicted ridership. Remember the LRT ridership was so low, that the section from Renforth to Mount Dennis was deferred to a future phase, despite including a connection to freqeuent GO service at Mount Dennis in the modelling. It didn't support hundreds of $millions in surface LRT, but it will support $billions in heavy rail? I don't think so.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
It wouldn't be 7km of tunnel needed.
The LRT Ridership was low, but Smart Track can't use those same ridership numbers. It will provide a faster way downtown than the LRT would have provided, making it much more attractive to people than the LRT. I think you are underestimating the attraction of Smart Track in its ability to move people quickly from point A to B.
Considering Bonnie Crombie campaigned on connecting a future LRT line to Smart Track, I would say there is desire for Smart Track in Mississauga. Same goes for Tory winning in Toronto. It was the central plank in his platform. The only thing Tory needs to get over is the lies that were spread about Smart Track during the campaign, such as ripping up car lanes and demolishing houses. Oh, and the fact that 7km of tunnel is needed.
nfitz
Superstar
It would but that would be years in the future. What we are talking about now is just service to Renforth. That has to stand on it's own two legs. I've heard not one iota out of anyone except just now above about running heavy rail past Renforth.
Tuscani01
Senior Member
Re-read my statement. I started off by saying "Long Term", so if a spur of the Milton line doesn't have to stand on its own two legs right now, neither does what I'm referring to.
nfitz
Superstar
My point was that SmartTrack won't get to Renforth in the short-term, so will never meet the Transitway.
I offered up the Milton spur as what the current long-term plan is. I suppose there are other long-term ways to get heavy rail to MCC. Though the Mount-Dennis-Eglinton-Renforth route is about 4 km - over 20% further from The Junction than using the Milton spur.
Electrify
Senior Member
Perhaps the beat thing about Smart Track is that it will take the discussion away from subways. Subways, at least as they are built and designed here, are really for medium distance trips. Maybe in 4 years the talk will be about "Smart Tracking" the Richmond Hill or Barrie GO lines rather than getting the subway up to Highway 7.
TheTigerMaster
Superstar
I'd rather have the uninformed masses claiming that they deserve SmartTrack rather than subways. That way we can avoid spending untold billions on useless holes in the ground (ahem... Sheppard)