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Transit Fantasy Maps

I thought I'd post an updated, embiggened image here for those who don't want to do the clickthrough.

jlwsBZ9.png


I'd especially like to hear people's thoughts on an Ossington Streetcar.
 
gweed123 said:
Looking good! Only big change I'd make is this: Rather than having a ROW on Queen East (which would be difficult to do), extend the East Bayfront LRT along Lake Shore to the Beaches, and instead of having the ROW go up Coxwell, have it go up Woodbine instead. Same general effect, but the streetcar then becomes an "express option" for people in the Beaches as opposed to having to crawl down Queen (which they likely still would even if there was a ROW there).
Click to expand...

My main concern about a LSB routing is that any development potential along that corridor would be quashed by proximity to the sewage treatment plant
 
dunkalunk said:
My main concern about a LSB routing is that any development potential along that corridor would be quashed by proximity to the sewage treatment plant
Click to expand...

Queen East is also hampered by height restrictions though.

And I wouldn't worry so much about development along the corridor anyway. The bulk of the ridership will come from the section along Woodbine, people from the Beaches, people heading to the Beaches (especially in the summer), and redevelopment of the Portlands.

A small stretch heading through open space shouldn't be a big deal. And the median is already wide enough for a ROW, so there would be a lot less opposition to Lake Shore too. Oh, and the new barn will be at Lake Shore and Leslie, so you'll have direct access.
 
dunkalunk said:
I'd especially like to hear people's thoughts on an Ossington Streetcar.
Click to expand...

Why does your Ossington Line not follow Ossington south of Dundas and uses Shaw instead? Also, I would replicate the 63's circular routing around Liberty Village (Strachan, East Liberty, Atlantic, King) instead of ending it at Douro. Nice proposal though.

While you're at it, you could also do a Dufferin streetcar line from the CNE to Bloor.
 
Hopkins123 said:
Why does your Ossington Line not follow Ossington south of Dundas and uses Shaw instead? Also, I would replicate the 63's circular routing around Liberty Village (Strachan, East Liberty, Atlantic, King) instead of ending it at Douro. Nice proposal though.
Click to expand...

That was mostly due to ease of construction, but you're right, Ossington between Dundas and Queen is pretty much where all the businesses are and where the demand would be

I chose Douro since it would be the likely location on an infill stop on the GO Kitchener line and where it would intersect with a King or Wellington DRL. I would have extended it further down Strachan or Atalantic to the lakeshore, but ROW width becomes an issue at the rail line.
 
denfromoakvillemilton said:
Honestly it's kind of rude not to give Cambridge LRT from the outset.
Click to expand...
Without having ever seen any ridership data, I'd bet that ridership is currently much higher in Kitchener and Waterloo than it is in Cambridge.

I also fail to see the shear number of major employment nodes that are transit-friendly in Cambridge as I do in KW. Offhand, Fairview Mall, Downtown Kitchener, Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital, Manulife, Downtown Waterloo, University of Waterloo, Conestoga Mall.

I'd assume the boardings per city for Grand River Transit are available somewhere.
 
I'm not sure how available the data would be, but it would be great to see boardings vs service hours for the different routes.
 
nfitz said:
Without having ever seen any ridership data, I'd bet that ridership is currently much higher in Kitchener and Waterloo than it is in Cambridge.

I also fail to see the shear number of major employment nodes that are transit-friendly in Cambridge as I do in KW. Offhand, Fairview Mall, Downtown Kitchener, Kitchener-Waterloo Hospital, Manulife, Downtown Waterloo, University of Waterloo, Conestoga Mall.

I'd assume the boardings per city for Grand River Transit are available somewhere.
Click to expand...

dunkalunk said:
I'm not sure how available the data would be, but it would be great to see boardings vs service hours for the different routes.
Click to expand...

Still, I think that's why Cambridge's mayor was upset like that. He wanted the LRT and got BRT.
 
The LRT has pretty low ridership currently, extending it will do nothing to help the cost benefit ratio. Giving Cambridge it during the first phase is roughly equivilant of giving scarborough the sheppard subway because they "deserve" it.
 
innsertnamehere said:
The LRT has pretty low ridership currently, extending it will do nothing to help the cost benefit ratio. Giving Cambridge it during the first phase is roughly equivilant of giving scarborough the sheppard subway because they "deserve" it.
Click to expand...

This is probably the best political analogy I've heard of the situation. The feds and province are pumping a bunch of money into the region but can only pump so much. Mayor Craig is a populist. Even so, he does have some valid concerns. I can't knock him for being an advocate for his city. However, like most populists, there's some disconnect between the rhetoric and reality. He's focusing on what can't be done in the short term at the cost of what can be done in the long term.
 
The Hurontario-Main LRT is planned to be built in two phases as well. It's not unusual. But in this case, it's the least busiest section (north of Square One) that will be built first. It has nothing to do with ridership, just the location of the LRV storage.
 
Even so, there are many places where there are gaps in the network that can be filled in to create new lines. In particular:
-on Coxwell between Gerrard and Bloor
-on Parliament between Gerrarrd and Bloor
-on Ossington between Dundas and Queen and College and Bloor (admittedly this one is a stretch)

All of these segments were once part of the historic streetcar network to the exception on Ossington which ran a trolley bus all the way up to Eglinton via Oakwood. Even Dundas had a streetcar running on it through the Junction all the way to Runnymede.

In a streetcar network that predominantly runs in mixed traffic already, what is the pushback from the city? Rebuilt lines don't necessarily need to be built down the centre of the road blocking left-turning traffic.
 
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