Province eyes Metrolinx shakeup

[299 bloor call control.]

http://news.ontario.ca/mto/en/2009/04/province-moving-transit-projects-forward.html

Province Moving Transit Projects Forward




April 1, 2009 2:30 PM
York VIVA BRT

Description

• Upgrade York VIVA Bus Rapid Transit with dedicated bus lanes along Highway 7 and Yonge Street that will connect commuters to the Yonge Subway and Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension and GO Transit service to Barrie, Richmond Hill and Stouffville.

Timing

• Environmental assessments have been completed for the sections of the VIVA system with construction scheduled to begin in fall 2009. The first section will be ready in 2011 with full service available by the end of 2013.

Connections

• Yonge subway and Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (TYSSE)

• GO rail (Barrie, Richmond Hill, Stouffville)

Cost

• The estimated cost is $1.4 billion.

Scarborough Rapid Transit (RT)

Description

• Replace existing Scarborough RT vehicles and upgrade infrastructure along the 7.2 km route from Kennedy Station to McCowan Station. The Scarborough RT will be extended to Malvern Town Centre or Markham Road. The Scarborough RT connects commuters to the Bloor-Danforth Subway, the proposed Sheppard East LRT and GO Rail service.

Timing

• Subject to environmental approvals, the TTC estimates construction could begin in 2010 and be complete in 2015.

Cost

• The estimated cost is $1.4 billion, depending on technology choice preferred. All construction and completion dates are subject to receiving environmental and other approvals. Final costs will be determined in the coming months by Metrolinx and the City of Toronto.

Eglinton Crosstown Rapid Transit (RT)

Description

• 30 km east-west rapid transit line along Eglinton Avenue from Pearson International Airport to Kennedy station in Scarborough with an extension to Malvern. This will include a 10 km tunnel through central Toronto (Keele Street to Leslie Street).

• Commuters will be able to connect to other transit service including, TTC Eglinton West, Eglinton and Kennedy subway stations and GO Transit.

Timing

• TTC is conducting the Environmental Assessment - and the second set of public meetings will be held this spring. Subject to environmental approval, the TTC estimates construction could begin in 2010, with service planned for 2016.

Cost

• The estimated cost is 4.6 billion. All construction and completion dates are subject to receiving environmental and other approvals. Final costs will be determined in the coming months by Metrolinx and the City of Toronto

Finch Light Rail Transit (LRT)

Description

• Finch LRT will extend from Yonge Street west to Humber College and east to Don Mills Subway Station. Commuters will have better connections to the Yonge, Spadina and Sheppard Subway lines, and the proposed Sheppard Avenue East LRT.

Timing

• Subject to environmental approval, the TTC estimates construction could start in 2010 with completion by 2013.

Cost

• Cost Estimate: $1.2 billion. All construction and completion dates are subject to receiving environmental and other approvals. Final costs will be determined in the coming months by Metrolinx and the City of Toronto.

Hamilton Rapid Transit Studies

Description

• Study potential rapid transit on two corridors in Hamilton, including East-West Corridor (King-Main Streets) and James-Upper James Street Corridor

• Hamilton is currently developing rapid transit plans for the two major corridors

• This funding will assist Hamilton (in cooperation with Metrolinx) in finalizing their plans for these corridors.

Timing

• Planning study to be completed by spring 2010.

Cost

• Cost Estimate: $3 million

 

[waterloowarrior]

Politicians shunned in transit planning overhaul
Source

At a Feb. 17 Toronto Star editorial board meeting, Miller had warned "it would be really unwise strategically" to remove politicians from the Metrolinx board.

"We understand the connections between transportation and planning and the provincial government and environmental objectives. It's a unique skill set that nobody from the private sector could have," Miller said.

what a ridiculous quote

 

[DavidH]

Interesting they called it Eglinton "rail line" not LRT. The possibility of a subway still?

Then again, they used the term "rehabiliation" for the SRT, and work to accomodate Mark II or LRT equipment would be more than just that. I'm not sure we can read much into the terminology.

EDIT: just saw the fuller description. Looks like the Eglinton/SRT technology choices are still an open question. There's may be a possibility we will see ART on Eglinton.

BTW, whatever happened to "shovel-ready" stimulus?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

DavidH:

There's usually quite a bit of effort to put into these communiques - I am sure they have those terminologies in mind and are deliberately vague about it to ensure maximium flexiblity.

AoD

 

[DavidH]

DavidH:
There's usually quite a bit of effort to put into these communiques - I am sure they have those terminologies in mind and are deliberately vague about it to ensure maximium flexiblity.

The official release uses the term "upgrade infrastructure" and also talks about a technology choice to be made. This makes more sense and is consistent with where both TTC and Metrolinx are, to my knowledge.

As mentioned above, I think that the possibility of ART on Eglinton is still alive. The announcement doesn't use "rail" but does use the generic Metrolinx "rapid transit" designation while Finch gets the "LRT" designation.

 

[taal]

So what's up with Sheppard LRT ... isn't that ready to go - more so then any other project?

 

[299 bloor call control.]

It'll probably be announced later. This is just $9-billion of the $25-billion or so they're spending over the next 10 years.

 

[Tuscani01]

Im curious as to what the RT in the Eglinton Crosstown line refers to...

 

[taal]

It'll probably be announced later. This is just $9-billion of the $25-billion or so they're spending over the next 10 years.

Yes, but why would they mention the SRT, Finch, Eglinton before Sheppard! When the EA for that line is already complete and they wanted to start construction Fall this year or early 2010??

 

[Tuscani01]

Yes, but why would they mention the SRT, Finch, Eglinton before Sheppard! When the EA for that line is already complete and they wanted to start construction Fall this year or early 2010??

Maybe the Province isn't happy with the current plan of using LRT to finish the line?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Perhaps the 4.6B for Eglinton is the cost of a "subway" version of the project? There is hoping...

I am surprised no one screamed bloody murder for having a $1.4B busway the way they did with LRT.

AoD

 

[299 bloor call control.]

Maybe the Province isn't happy with the current plan of using LRT to finish the line?

That could very much be it. By announcing now, they can get into revising plans for Eglinton before the EA was complete and so changes can be made to the design before it advanced too far (and wasting time and money).

 

[Hipster Duck]

How much BRT are we getting for $1.4B? If Vancouver's 20km long Canada line cost $1.8B, something is wrong here.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Hipster:

You've restored my faith

AoD

 

[rbt]

The omission of the Yonge subway is also interesting.

Not really. McGuinty wants jobs on the ground (construction by spring 2010, fall at the latest).

Yonge line cannot possibly start construction in any meaningful way by that time. In fact, we'll be lucky if Spadina is moving by then (have TBMs been ordered -- I recall seeing a request to purchase not long ago).

Finch West and Eglinton both can, as can a number of Go initiatives will be underway within that timeframe.

The real question is whether $2B of that is for replacement and expansion LRT vehicles. This contract due for approval in April/May will need to be cancelled if the funding isn't in this package.