Plans to fill in Allen Road

[smably]

Well this is disappointing:

Update June 15, 2016:
Recommendation to Withdraw the Proposed Terms of Reference (ToR) from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change

The City of Toronto submitted a proposed ToR for the Allen Road Environmental Assessment (EA) to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for formal government review and acceptance in September 2014. Under the ToR for the Allen Road EA, the proposed alternative solutions contemplate transformative infrastructure changes within the study area that would require significant capital investments. Funding for this work is not included in the City's Capital Budget or 10-year Capital Plan and an alternative funding source has not been identified.

Given the extensive deficit in municipal infrastructure that exists throughout the City and the number of other critical investments in infrastructure that are needed, City staff are recommending that no further work on the Allen Road EA proceed at this time. Instead, City Council is being requested to provide authorization for the proposed ToR to be withdrawn from the MOECC.

In place of the Allen Road EA, the City will refocus its efforts on localized operational and state of good repair issues.

via

I don't understand -- was there ever a preferred alternative identified? How could there be funding for anything, given that the study wasn't even finished? Surely the process would be: finish the study, identify a preferred alternative, determine a budget, then determine funding sources? Doesn't the federal government have billions in infrastructure funding burning a hole in its pocket? We're not even going to bother asking for funding because we've just preemptively decided we can't afford anything?

What the hell is going on here?

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

A bunch of fools running our city, as per usual.

I am convinced filling in the Allen Road will become something we have to consider given the updated projections for population growth in this city. It is simply irresponsible to not build density along a subway line.

 

[salsa]

A bunch of fools running our city, as per usual.

I am convinced filling in the Allen Road will become something we have to consider given the updated projections for population growth in this city. It is simply irresponsible to not build density along a subway line.

Just like with the Gardiner, some will also argue that said population growth is the reason why the expressway should not be removed. Or that even a one minute delay for motorists would be a threat to Toronto's global competitiveness or whatever the hell their logic is. Perhaps it's for the better that any bold Allen Rd proposals are put on hold until Toronto is ready to elect a less archaic administration that's actually willing to challenge the status quo and spend the money required to do so.

 

[Juan_Lennon416]

Just like with the Gardiner, some will also argue that said population growth is the reason why the expressway should not be removed. Or that even a one minute delay for motorists would be a threat to Toronto's global competitiveness or whatever the hell their logic is. Perhaps it's for the better that any bold Allen Rd proposals are put on hold until Toronto is ready to elect a less archaic administration that's actually willing to challenge the status quo and spend the money required to do so.

I'll call David Miller 2.0 for you

 

[salsa]

I'll call David Miller 2.0 for you

I would have been happy enough with the old John Tory when he was chair of Civic Action. Being a left winger is not a mandatory requirement for not ignoring the chief planner.

 

[Neil]

At this time and with this council, this probably is not a bad idea. Like the Gardiner, they would probably vote to rebuild the Allen in an even deeper trench.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Just like with the Gardiner, some will also argue that said population growth is the reason why the expressway should not be removed. Or that even a one minute delay for motorists would be a threat to Toronto's global competitiveness or whatever the hell their logic is. Perhaps it's for the better that any bold Allen Rd proposals are put on hold until Toronto is ready to elect a less archaic administration that's actually willing to challenge the status quo and spend the money required to do so.

I don't understand that argument presented. A filled-in Allen Road would have the same number of lanes as today, they would just be located above the subway line.

 

[salsa]

I don't understand that argument presented. A filled-in Allen Road would have the same number of lanes as today, they would just be located above the subway line.

Speed limits would be reduced and drivers may have to stop at a couple of stop signs. For some people this is too much to ask for.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Speed limits would be reduced and drivers may have to stop at a couple of stop signs. For some people this is too much to ask for.

Not like the Allen is not already bumper to bumper.

I would like to see some modeling done. I think we can have an overall more efficient network if some of the Allen's motorship was distributed to adjacent N-S streets.

 

[Johnny Au]

Not like the Allen is not already bumper to bumper.

I would like to see some modeling done. I think we can have an overall more efficient network if some of the Allen's motorship was distributed to adjacent N-S streets.

Much of that would be along Marlee Avenue, especially given the plans to extend Marlee to Yorkdale by removing Lawrence Square.

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Well this is disappointing:

via

I don't understand -- was there ever a preferred alternative identified? How could there be funding for anything, given that the study wasn't even finished? Surely the process would be: finish the study, identify a preferred alternative, determine a budget, then determine funding sources? Doesn't the federal government have billions in infrastructure funding burning a hole in its pocket? We're not even going to bother asking for funding because we've just preemptively decided we can't afford anything?

What the hell is going on here?

This is not a rejection of any solutions, just of doing anything altogether.

This was undergoing an individual environmental assessment, not a streamlined process. This can get pretty expensive to keep your consultants on retainer/do work. Why bother at all if there's no budgetary resources to start implementing something for the next 10 years, and some of your work may get outdated anyway?

I agree not considering a way to improve density along the Allen is criminal. But it doesn't seem to be a priority. I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't a pre-emtive strike by the City's planning staff anyway, killing any chance of Tory becoming an expressway champion again.

 

[Midtown Urbanist]

Much of that would be along Marlee Avenue, especially given the plans to extend Marlee to Yorkdale by removing Lawrence Square.

Yah, local traffic would definitely prefer Marlee, much the same way local traffic prefers Duplex over Yonge.

 

[dowlingm]

My preference versus filling in/elevating the Allen lanes would have been a deck over the existing (option 5 in the EA ToR), with the deck carrying recreational space e.g. connecting Benner Park with Viewmount Park and the York Beltline Trail to the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail, plus more local E-W streetgrid (e.g. Coldstream, Glen Park, Hillmount).

Bringing the Allen to grade seems like a Gardiner East-boulevard/Front Street Extension fight all over again.

 

[Tulse]

I agree that a deck seems obvious -- think how different the "bury the Gardiner" debate would have been if it was already trenched.

 

[44 North]

Bringing the Allen to grade seems like a Gardiner East-boulevard/Front Street Extension fight all over again.

I can't really see that being the case. I think most on Council know the Allen is pretty useless in its current state and does little in the way of actually connecting anything or continuing access in its direction. This isn't really like the Gardiner East or Front Ext - where we wanted to continue/improve a connection. I'd say it shares more similarities with the appropriate removal of the useless eastern Gardiner stub from the Don Rdwy to Leslie way back when. So like that decision, the best thing for the Allen would be to fill-in/remove. A linear park would do wonders for the area, improve development potential, and serve as a buffer for the NIMBYs to the east.