drum118
Superstar
It was determine that it is impossible to go from the existing Don Mill Station to be elevated over the 404 due the short distance and exceeding max slopping grade.First key point. Can this Sheppard line elevation from the existing platform fast enough to cross 404 elevated and just south of Sheppard (where there are no off-ramps. That's how you can save serious $$$. Then continue along Sheppard elevated.
2nd key point. If anyone complains about elevated, the alternative is not TBM, it is a different route that doesn't even give them a station. In this case, 401 (maybe Progress).
Because of the grade to get under the 404, you could only get to Consumers Rd before you could get to the surface for an LRT line or a subway station. MTO has a lot to do with this.
If you want the subway to be elevated along Sheppard, the elevation from a surface station on the east side of Consumers would have to climb to get over Victoria Park.
Being elevated will see more NIMBY folks opposing this idea than the LRT.
End of the day, there is not nor will be enough riders along Sheppard to support a subway in the first place even connecting to Line 2.
Sheppard is better off with an BRT, but I prefer to see an LRT that can branch off to other areas over time.
I prefer to see the Sheppard subway extended to Victoria Park as original plan that ran out of money thanks to good old Mike and the LRT taking over from there.
If you are going to have station space far apart, you will have to run bus service to dealt with riders between those stations.