Ontario Budget Cut and Transit Expansion

[nfitz]

Let's build 7 parallel underground monorail lines on Bayview up to Newmarket, then, if transit anywhere, in any form is what's needed ...

Now that's just being silly. There isn't a project that has been funded that hasn't undergone years of study.

To pretend otherwise merely demonstrates your ability to demonstrate you inability to have a rational discussion.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

Now that's just being silly. There isn't a project that has been funded that hasn't undergone years of study.

To pretend otherwise merely demonstrates your ability to demonstrate you inability to have a rational discussion.

What's demonstrated by your obsessive need to reply to posts with mindless contrarian twaddle?

Facts aren't your strong suit, so I'll remind you that MoveOntario's funding promises were announced just 3 months after Transit City appeared, preempting other transit projects and proposals that had undergone years of study. Or, more likely, Miller was given a multi-billion dollar promise and told to quickly sketch up a wishlist.

 

[Mapleson]

If the Kennedy station interface is delaying Eglinton, it needs to be noted that the same problem didn't delay Sheppard, whose middle section was full steam ahead before they figured out what they were doing at Don Mills, or where they were terminating it in the east, or how it would affect busy connecting bus routes like the 190. If Eglinton West had a stubway from the Allen to Black Creek, Eglinton would probably already be seeing utility relocations.

So because they are rushing work on Sheppard and doing construction before design is finished (generally leads to higher costs), they should do the same with Eglinton? Starting work gives Metrolinx less control over the final design, so I don't see why they'd be inclided to rush into it. Starting utility relocations now is a waste of money (but not time) if construction is going to be delayed a full season anyway.

What's demonstrated by your obsessive need to reply to posts with mindless contrarian twaddle?

Facts aren't your strong suit, so I'll remind you that MoveOntario's funding promises were announced just 3 months after Transit City appeared, preempting other transit projects and proposals that had undergone years of study. Or, more likely, Miller was given a multi-billion dollar promise and told to quickly sketch up a wishlist.

Transit City is a Toronto wish list. MoveOntario is an Ontario mandate. There is a world of difference in between them.

 

[nfitz]

What's demonstrated by your obsessive need to reply to posts with mindless contrarian twaddle?

That's a good question .... but if you admit that the posts are nothing more than mindless contrarian twaddle, why do you persist in making them?

 

[valkoholic]

They should put out a reward for whoever finds the Denny's placemat that Miller drew the original transit city plan on the back of in purple crayon.

Miller: "Here Webster, I've decided our future transit plans. Check this out."
Gary Webster: "Umm, this makes no sense on any level. You've written 'Malvern Rulez' over where the downtown relief line should go and theirs a syrup stain on the airport.”
Miller: "Listen, buddy, either write a report saying this is awesome or I'll introduce Giambrone to your daughter."
Gary Webster: "Right away, your holiness."

 

[scarberiankhatru]

So because they are rushing work on Sheppard and doing construction before design is finished (generally leads to higher costs), they should do the same with Eglinton?

No, that's not what I said. Starting construction before design work is finished is not the most responsible thing to do, and starting it before even the mode has been written in government stone would be still less responsible and force design's hand. Eglinton is a completely clean slate that officials are mercifully taking a more cautious approach to than was the case on Sheppard. A few years of bickering about Eglinton would be desirable if it did something like take the ICTS spectre off the table or if it means increased grade-separation (and such possibilities would very much affect the design and prevent sections of the line from being rushed ahead), but we'll see what actually gets built. The road/rail separation at Agincourt is something that would have been built eventually, anyway, no matter what transit was built along Sheppard, but by getting it rolling before the rest of the corridor is figured out, they can point to it and say "Well, construction has started, you can't change or cancel the Sheppard LRT now!"

If there was some kind of existing transit line on Eglinton that was potentially going to be altered or extended, there'd be different pressures put on the design and construction and phasing of an Eglinton line, and then, perhaps, we'd already be seeing soil moved back and forth to show off how 'construction has already started.' But there is no existing transit line on Eglinton, the LRT is not being designed with spite in mind (unlike Sheppard), the corridor is being singled out as Important with Regional Consequences, and the pricetag is exploding, which all changes the motivation behind any stalling or delaying tactics that may have been taken.

Transit City is a Toronto wish list. MoveOntario is an Ontario mandate. There is a world of difference in between them.

The difference is that MoveOntario is a mandate to build Toronto's wishlist (and other regional projects). Everyone knows this.

That's a good question .... but if you admit that the posts are nothing more than mindless contrarian twaddle, why do you persist in making them?

Wow, you're so clever! Or, your so clever, to use your preferred misspelling.