Palma
Senior Member
How can it be grade separated even in the Richview Expreeway corridor as it still will hit intersections. Unless the Richview expreeway becomes tunneled (not underground)
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SmartTrack (Proposed)
- Thread starter aquateam
- Start date
robmausser
Senior Member
Move Eglinton over to one side of richview (where possible) and trench the LRT. Go under intersections. Much like Line 1 through Rosedale, but on a smaller scale (LRT not quite as wide as heavy rail)
Palma
Senior Member
That makes sense
crs1026
Superstar
The problemmatic cross streets are far enough apart that much of the line can remain at grade. The 'enhancements' that we can give Tory credit for could be elevating or lowering the line in spots as required. Any tunnelling would be cut and cover so moderate in cost.
- Paul
Rainforest
Senior Member
Full grade separation may not even be necessary.
It may be enough to elevate the line over some of the major intersections where the landscape favors such arrangement, and eliminate mid-block stops.
It may be enough to elevate the line over some of the major intersections where the landscape favors such arrangement, and eliminate mid-block stops.
M II A II R II K
Senior Member
The Richview Corridor was sold off.
Adjei
Senior Member
Short term gain for long term pain
Hopkins123
Senior Member
I still question why a side-of-roadway alignment (south side) was never considered for either Eglinton West or Eglinton East. The land's just sitting there begging to be utilized. What a missed opportunity.
Adjei
Senior Member
Which vacant lands are available at Eglinton East?
crs1026
Superstar
True. The LRT proponents in this city haven't done us any favours by tending to start with a middle-of-the-road mindset for every LRT proposal. A little more creativity might have kept us away from some of the "streetcars just mess up traffic" opposition. Frankly, it played into Ford Nation's hands.
Eglinton West is a good example, and may be an opportunity lost thanks to the sale of some of the land. But we should approach it with a very creative mind. It could still be a model of good LRT design... another thing for Scarboro to envy
- Paul
CapitalSeven
Senior Member
It was considered, but not in very much detail. There are big problems with side of the road alignments. Think of Queen's Quay but with twice as much traffic travelling at higher speed. But there are still a few stretches left where a trench or elevated ROW could go. The corridor doesn't need a single type of path.
Going over or under major intersections effectively means building all of the stations under ground or in the air, which would more or less double the cost, but it would still likely be much cheaper than a heavy rail tunnel option, which seems doomed. I would like to see someone explore ways of grade separating some of the line from some of the traffic in ways that leave the stations as cheap, simple platforms instead of big buildings requiring dozens of redundant elevators, escalators, etc. that will mostly be broken.
nfitz
Superstar
Other than the small stretch between the Sunnybrook Park stop and Science Centre station, I don't see much missed opportunity.
A side-of-the-roadway alignment would be very limiting with the number of driveways and crossings that would intersect it. We've already seen the result of that on Queens Quay with all the additional signals necessary there for the side-of-the-roadway alignment.
W. K. Lis
Superstar
They put in a linear park on the south side of Eglinton West in Etobicoke. I guess you consider all parkland a waste of land that should be developed or paved over? I don't.
Before the motor vehicles took over the streets and roads for their exclusive use, kids actually used the streets as a playground. Only the occasional horse or buggy used the roads, and at a very slow walk or trot. Rarely did the horse have to gallop. Because of the automobile, the city had to put in parkland and playgrounds so that the kids will have somewhere safe to play.
44 North
Senior Member
This is pretty much my view as well, with a few add-ons. For me it seems all John Tory is supporting when he talks about "SmartTrack" is Stouffville RER and a Crosstown West extension. That's it. Basically he's using a short section of the Kitchener corridor to give the appearance that there's a connection between these two separate projects, and as a means for the layman to think we're building one unified line across the city. There isn't, and we aren't. It's two separate projects that are already on the books - provincial ones at that. But for some reason he wants them to be greater priorities (when they really shouldn't be), and for TO to fund most of them (prob because the Prov doesn't have the funds to do it like they promised).
The real Q is why the mayor of Toronto is so gung ho about Stouffville RER and a Crosstown West extension. Why not support Lake Shore East RER instead - which would still serve the Unilver site?
crs1026
Superstar
I would add:
3. So he can justify not building a relief line
- Paul
3. So he can justify not building a relief line
- Paul