Downtown Rapid Transit Expansion Study

[k10ery]

If anything, this idea would be amazing just to see the sparks fly as Metrolinx talks about converting what has since become a bike path that is backed by dozens of single family homes into a rapid transit corridor for bi-level GO trains going all day.

The idea makes complete sense, but will not happen until there is a massive change in government policy.

The CN Leaside Spur is no longer available for sure. But a connection in the Don Valley is technically feasible: http://www.toronto.ca/planning/dvp.htm

I would have thought a better option is service from North Toronto on the Belleville Sub, with a connection to GO Agincourt and the Stouffville Line.

 

[smallspy]

The CN Leaside Spur is no longer available for sure.

Incorrect. The Leaside Spur was purchased by the City specifically to land-bank it, and prevent its sale to abutting property owners. Unless things have changed very recently, it is still zoned as a transportation corridor.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[rbt]

Incorrect. The Leaside Spur was purchased by the City specifically to land-bank it, and prevent its sale to abutting property owners. Unless things have changed very recently, it is still zoned as a transportation corridor.

Pretty certain it has been paved as a bicycle path.

You're going to have quite a fight with the neighbourhood to take out the bike path and put down tracks again.

 

[CDL.TO]

Pretty certain it has been paved as a bicycle path.

You're going to have quite a fight with the neighbourhood to take out the bike path and put down tracks again.

That's right. Also, these days bicycle paths ARE transportation corridors. Bikes aren't just for recreation.

 

[k10ery]

Pretty certain it has been paved as a bicycle path.

You're going to have quite a fight with the neighbourhood to take out the bike path and put down tracks again.

As I recall, the nabe fought pretty hard even against the bike path.

 

[gweed123]

Pretty certain it has been paved as a bicycle path.

You're going to have quite a fight with the neighbourhood to take out the bike path and put down tracks again.

Is the corridor wide enough for 2 tracks and a bike path?

Ideally though, I'd like to see 3 tracks on that corridor (2 for local and 1 for rush hour express during peaks).

 

[jwill]

I can't imagine that bike path is particularly well-used, or worth keeping. Neighbourhood cyclists would be better off with a decent bike lane on Don Mills Road, or even Leslie.

The corridor is 100' wide according to a map I have. (30.48m)

 

[gweed123]

I can't imagine that bike path is particularly well-used, or worth keeping. Neighbourhood cyclists would be better off with a decent bike lane on Don Mills Road, or even Leslie.

The corridor is 100' wide according to a map I have. (30.48m)

That's wider than I thought it would be. Definitely wide enough for 3 tracks.

 

[k10ery]

I can't imagine that bike path is particularly well-used, or worth keeping. Neighbourhood cyclists would be better off with a decent bike lane on Don Mills Road, or even Leslie.

The corridor is 100' wide according to a map I have. (30.48m)

This planning document will tell you what was done with the ROW last year, and I think how hard it would be politically to undo it: http://www.toronto.ca/cycling/rinc_projects/pdf/project1-notice.pdf

I wouldn't have thought it was 30 m wide. I wonder if back yards have encroached on the ROW?

 

[Twisted Son of Gumby]

If the Richmond Hill line is electrified for express use one day, perhaps it could be tunnelled under the old Leaside spur, between York Mills Rd and the CP Belleville sub, for quicker service?

 

[M II A II R II K]

And lay down new track for a more direct route, and tunnel where need be. Also add an Eglinton stop at the LRT, Castle Frank, and a Leslieville stop on the line running under Queen so not everyone would have to get off at Union.

 

[toraerach]

Agreed, and that was my point actually. Frequent regional trains wouldn't address the need for local rapid transit downtown, nor would it fully relieve the Yonge line. Metrolinx has its "Downtown Core Line" along Queen along with upgraded regional/express rail for that reason. My only disagreement with you is that LRT wouldn't cut it, it would have to be subway. According to ridership forcasts it would be the second busiest subway line in the city.

If anything, frequent regional service to the core will only further increase the demand for local service downtown. I don't think the streetcar network can absorb much more of the demand for east-west transit south of Bloor, especially given the rising density in the core and the projected growth on the GO network. Drastically improved regional service will take care of long haul demand, leaving the Downtown Core Line to do what it should be doing: providing a rapid semi-local service to the central city (meaning stop spacing should reflect local demand and not cater solely to rush hour commuters).

 

[W. K. Lis]

The Spadina Subway extension north-west to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will help to reduce some crowding on the Yonge leg of the line. The 36 Finch West (Finch West LRT) and 60 Steeles West (and Eglinton Crosstown--west leg) would be feeding the Spadina leg, instead of the Yonge leg.

However, that only delays the crowding by only a few short years. The extension of the Yonge Subway will only add to crowding, and should not be started until after the Downtown Relief Line is at least started.

 

[Twisted Son of Gumby]

And lay down new track for a more direct route, and tunnel where need be. Also add an Eglinton stop at the LRT, Castle Frank, and a Leslieville stop on the line running under Queen so not everyone would have to get off at Union.

A connection to Castle Frank or Broadview would be an interesting one to pull off, considering the depth of the valley between the stations, and the complexity of the landscape (i.e. it's a valley with a highway in it). The best solution might be to re-route the line through one of the valleysides and place a GO station beside, or even under, one of the two adjacent TTC stations.

 

[leopetr]

A connection to Castle Frank or Broadview would be an interesting one to pull off, considering the depth of the valley between the stations, and the complexity of the landscape (i.e. it's a valley with a highway in it). The best solution might be to re-route the line through one of the valleysides and place a GO station beside, or even under, one of the two adjacent TTC stations.

I don't think tunnelling Richmond Hill GO to Castle Frank makes sense. It would be an expensive project through nasty terrain underneath expensive real estate, and it would connect to a low-ridership station with few existing connections. Near term, it also makes no sense to add any more riders to the Bloor line there, as the Bloor line is close to full between Yonge and Castle Frank, while the Bloor-Yonge interchange is overloaded.

As far as low hanging fruit go, proper pedestrian concourses between Dundas West/Bloor GO and Main Street/Danforth GO are both much cheaper and much more urgent.

A stop on the Richmond Hill GO line between Gerard and Dundas or Dundas and Queen would have a much more reasonable transfer to both the existing streetcar routes and to a potential future Queen or DRL subway lines.