SmartTrack (Proposed)

[rbt]

If these ridership numbers are remotely accurate, than Smart Track offers more bang for the buck than any planned transit line, other than the DRL. Begs the question, have they missed something or did the planners?

Metrolinx prior to merging with GO was giving similar numbers for RER type service across the city. Once they picked up GO staff, a lot of the planning became much much more conservative. GO ridership has consistently been higher than expected when they deploy upgrades.

This Smart Track estimate isn't far off Metrolinx's original Big Move "expensive option" expectations; I also think it's about 40% too high due to design changes between this model and what might actually be built; still a good project.

 

[muller877]

I just hope that they don't use Union Station as SmartTrack's downtown station. It will be over capacity, if they do. Don't forget about the employment centre developments happening to the south of Union Station, which will add more crowds.

So you propose that we don't place the station where the employment centre development is? (i.e. where the riders want to go)

 

[W. K. Lis]

The revised SmartTrack plans maybe cause for more changes to other transit plans. Both to the Scarborough Subway (cutting of 2 stations) and extending the Crosstown LRT east to Malvern Town Centre.

 

[salsa]

Steve Munro must really have his hands full with all the huge developments this week. Here is his analysis of Smart Track: http://torontoist.com/2016/01/analyzing-smarttracks-demand/

Gardiner expressway and Scarborough transit articles will come at a later time.

 

[WislaHD]

If these ridership numbers are remotely accurate, than Smart Track offers more bang for the buck than any planned transit line, other than the DRL. Begs the question, have they missed something or did the planners?

Yes. The cost of campaign SmartTrack exceeds the Relief Line to Sheppard probably by a lot and those kind of headways are likely infeasible.

The revised SmartTrack that is really GO-RER+, does not have anywhere near the same ridership numbers.

It's always been incredibly stupid that GO scarcely bothers with serving the 416 while running dozens of trains through our neighbourhoods. Good to see ST at least prioritizing 416 ridership. If it's pulled off, ST will do more for the inner suburbs than any LRT or the DRL. And somewhat ironically, ST will boost demand for LRTs as all those riders will want a faster way to reach the ST stations.

The Relief Line to Sheppard and Don Mills still offers the most bang for the buck, and does the most for Scarborough commuters.

The SmartTrack envisioned with the huge ridership, like I said above, is extremely expensive, even when compared to the Relief Line.

 

[BurlOak]

The Relief Line to Sheppard and Don Mills still offers the most bang for the buck, and does the most for Scarborough commuters.

It's even more bang for the buck if it is elevated north of Millwood and extends to Finch (Seneca).

 

[WislaHD]

It's even more bang for the buck if it is elevated north of Millwood and extends to Finch (Seneca).

Elevated isn't being studied though, so it is a moot point. I think trenched or cut&cover on Don Mills would be cheaper than elevated in any case?

I'd hope for an extension to Finch and Seneca one day, but I think getting it to Sheppard is a big enough of an ask as is.

 

[W. K. Lis]

 

[DonValleyRainbow]

Vic Park to Warden is a long distance. So is Warden to Kennedy. This would be like both of those put together without a stop inbetween.

I don't know about you guys, but long distances between stops like this make me feel like I'm in purgatory, and it's kind of scary. I would actually dread this subway ride.

 

[W. K. Lis]

In London, England, the longest distance between two stations on their Underground is six miles or 9.6 km or so: Chalfont-Chesham

 

[WislaHD]

I don't know about you guys, but long distances between stops like this make me feel like I'm in purgatory, and it's kind of scary. I would actually dread this subway ride.

I know. I dislike the ride between Eglinton and Lawrence on the Yonge Line as is, always feels much longer than I expect. This one will be scary.

 

[44 North]

Vic Park to Warden is a long distance. So is Warden to Kennedy. This would be like both of those put together without a stop inbetween.

I don't know about you guys, but long distances between stops like this make me feel like I'm in purgatory, and it's kind of scary. I would actually dread this subway ride.

It's completely backwards, and I believe it's being presented as a subversive political move to eventually kill the Scarb Subway. Look at Stouffville GO / SmartTrack, and its 2km stop spacing through Scarb. It's a commuter line, yet it's now being given a rapid transit amount of stations. Whereas an actual rapid transit line is being extended as a commuter line with one station. That doesn't make any sense.

I'm not even sure how Stouffville GO got shortlisted for electrification, considering its 2010 business case and ridership as AD2W was less than stellar. There were no plans for electrification here less than two years ago. Now they expect us to improve upon it even more by having it become both electrified RER and a local-service metro system of sorts. It's odd, and doesn't add up.

 

[Amare]

I think the distance between Kennedy and STC is literally the equivalent to some of the distances between some of the stations in the GO network, which would be ridiculous. I havent really looked into it, but some stations that come to mind are: between Long Branch and Mimico, between Eglinton and Guildwood, and between Aldershot and Burlington just to name a few.

 

[Hopkins123]

Surely the Lawrence stop will be infilled sometime in the future, the same way North York Centre was to the Yonge Line in the '80s. Likewise probably too will a Brimley-Danforth Stn be added in.

 

[WislaHD]

I think the distance between Kennedy and STC is literally the equivalent to some of the distances between some of the stations in the GO network, which would be ridiculous. I havent really looked into it, but some stations that come to mind are: between Long Branch and Mimico, between Eglinton and Guildwood, and between Aldershot and Burlington just to name a few.

I just checked. It is longer than the distance between Scarborough GO and Danforth GO.

Danforth GO to Unilever will be about equivalent to Kennedy to STC.

edit: or the equivalent of Davisville to King station. Wow.