Transit Fantasy Maps

[Translude15]

These are all extremely well done fantasy maps. The problems with Transit City are numerous, as many have already griped about.

Personally, I think subways are the way to go. Given the huge influx of people projected to settle in the GTA over the next twenty years, subways are, and should be seen as the most suitable and logical choice for transit expansion.

Given the enormity of Toronto's quest for proper transportation infrastructure, I think a number of things should be considered both at the political and local level.

Like most things in life, monumental tasks are not completed overnight. There's a reason why cramming for that final exam the night before doesn't garner the desired result. The studying's got to be done in segments over a longer period of time. The same kind of principle should try to be applied here in Toronto. Consistency and patience are key virtues.

Tackling this game of "transportation catch up" in segments seems ideal. Laying the foundation for future expansion would perhaps get the ball rolling so to say, and offer the public a sense of relief with regards to progress. Start at the centre of the TTC system and work from there:

1) Start the DRL from Union or whatever location is suitable and build outwards a few kilometres in both directions to start (3 km)
2) Start the Eglinton line by connecting Eglinton West with Yonge-Eglinton (3.2 km)
3) Expand the Sheppard westwards to Downsview (4.4 km)

That's about 10.6 km of subway right there. Add about the same amount per decade and slowly but surely sustainable and effective transportation is created to accommodate the region's growing population.

 

[Tewder]

Good post Translude. It's kind of obvious really, isn't it? The problem that gets in the way is politics, as always.

 

[Fred.S]

Good post Translude. It's kind of obvious really, isn't it? The problem that gets in the way is politics, as always.

Yea that sucks. Especially when you have places like Madrid where the government funds and puts in 50 km of subway in 10 years, and then decides not to stop and keeps expanding all their lines. Total opposite from here.

 

[JasonParis]

I really like this! Something very similar to what I've thought of. Any LRTs planned? Say a-la Transit City (Jane, Finch West)?
ps I love the 'Junction' name change!

Although, a Junction Station may be better saved for the Dundas/Dupont area with an eventual extension of the DRL north of Bloor.

Can somebody submit these maps (especially the last one by SUperman) to Metrolinx or GO, so that they can see how their system map SHOULD be.. and maybe they'd even contract some of this work out to you guys to get a proper, professional, clean, concise looking map.
Their mickey-mouse map they still stick with is embarrassingly amature-ish.

Agreed. The map is awesome. I love your Parisian lettering/numbering system to clearly and easily label the lines and distinguish between subway and regional. One of the best I've ever seen!

 

[sixrings]

Basically TC with some additions.. A complete Finch line... A complete Lawrence Line.... A sheppard West extension.... and a EAST DRL

Also I made The RT split to malvern and to Pacific Mall...

I understand that Scarborough wants SUBWAYS... but this would give them a comprehensive LRT web that would give scarborough residents options to get onto reliable transit at almost every major road in the area.

Sheppard West and Lawrence west should help redevelope the western area of our city. It should in theory also make Jane a real potential for change. Jane would have multiple lines that would run through it.. Bloor, St. Claire. Eglinton, Lawerence, Sheppard, and Finch.. PLus the connection to York University...

This map might not increase the speed of transit as much as we would all like. But it would create a sense of reliability and hopefully these areas would become destinations of themselves (30 years away)

I didnt put the lines on the map but ideally I would have Go Make more frequent trips and stops to help increase the speed issue for many people.

 

[Dan416]

Basically TC with some additions.. A complete Finch line... A complete Lawrence Line.... A sheppard West extension.... and a EAST DRL

Also I made The RT split to malvern and to Pacific Mall...

I understand that Scarborough wants SUBWAYS... but this would give them a comprehensive LRT web that would give scarborough residents options to get onto reliable transit at almost every major road in the area.

Sheppard West and Lawrence west should help redevelope the western area of our city. It should in theory also make Jane a real potential for change. Jane would have multiple lines that would run through it.. Bloor, St. Claire. Eglinton, Lawerence, Sheppard, and Finch.. PLus the connection to York University...

This map might not increase the speed of transit as much as we would all like. But it would create a sense of reliability and hopefully these areas would become destinations of themselves (30 years away)

I didnt put the lines on the map but ideally I would have Go Make more frequent trips and stops to help increase the speed issue for many people.View attachment 5530

If you're going to do a full Finch line, you might as well just cancel the Sheppard East LRT. It's too close to Finch to justify two LRTs so close to each other. Either do subway or BRT or just leave Sheppard alone.

 

[Jeff]

If you're going to do a full Finch line, you might as well just cancel the Sheppard East LRT. It's too close to Finch to justify two LRTs so close to each other. Either do subway or BRT or just leave Sheppard alone.

Same with Eglinton and Lawerence. Seriously, they're 5 minutes apart, there's no need for both to have such long lines.

 

[EnviroTO]

If you're going to do a full Finch line, you might as well just cancel the Sheppard East LRT. It's too close to Finch to justify two LRTs so close to each other. Either do subway or BRT or just leave Sheppard alone.

Finally something I can agree with. Do a full Finch LRT line and a Dixon-Wilson-Ellesmere LRT, and leave Sheppard alone. Sheppard can be left so people against anything non-subway on Sheppard can be appeased. We also get a connection to both the airport and SCC out of it.

 

[sixrings]

Same with Eglinton and Lawerence. Seriously, they're 5 minutes apart, there's no need for both to have such long lines.

I understand that these lines are close. But the majority of Lawrence would be above ground. Also if we really are committed to making a reliable transit network then such proximity is inevitable. King and Queen are close. College and Bloor are close... That doesnt mean that the lines dont serve two different people. A commpleted Lawrence would allow another transit alternative to the airport.

Any Major line with decent service should be contemplating LRT. TC fall was not that it is LRT it is the fact that it serves too few areas.

 

[Dan416]

Finally something I can agree with. Do a full Finch LRT line and a Dixon-Wilson-Ellesmere LRT, and leave Sheppard alone. Sheppard can be left so people against anything non-subway on Sheppard can be appeased. We also get a connection to both the airport and SCC out of it.

I've always advocated that Finch should have been done done in full leaving Sheppard alone. I don't like the way Metrolinx was trying to create a crosstown route out of a Finch West/Don Mills/Sheppard East mongrel.

 

[reaperexpress]

I don't think the Finch and Sheppard LRTs are necessarily redundant. Finch (hydro corridor) could serve long distance demand with infrequent stops and more grade separation, and Sheppard East could simply be built as planned in Transit City: a local route mainly serving Sheppard itself. I think there is enough demand of each type to justify each LRT, regardless of their proximity.

However, I don't think there is any point in having a Sheppard West LRT, because there isn't that much stuff on Sheppard west of Downsview.

 

[Dan416]

I don't think the Finch and Sheppard LRTs are necessarily redundant. Finch (hydro corridor) could serve long distance demand with infrequent stops and more grade separation, and Sheppard East could simply be built as planned in Transit City: a local route mainly serving Sheppard itself. I think there is enough demand of each type to justify each LRT, regardless of their proximity.

However, I don't think there is any point in having a Sheppard West LRT, because there isn't that much stuff on Sheppard west of Downsview.

I think it should be opposite. The Sheppard Subway would have limited stops, whereas the Finch (East/West LRT) would be more local.

 

[reaperexpress]

I think it should be opposite. The Sheppard Subway would have limited stops, whereas the Finch (East/West LRT) would be more local.

The reason I would put the local service on Sheppard is simply a question of cost. Building the express line as a subway under Sheppard would cost over $300million per kilometer, but the hydro corridor north of Finch would allow a line of equivalent speed to be built at under $100million per kilometer.

Here's a scale map of what I was thinking:

I like to think that this is reasonably feasible, because apart from the DRL and Hydro Corridor LRT, much of the design work for this is currently going on. Most the design work for the tunneled portion of the Eglinton LRT would apply to the Eglinton subway (transformer stations, tunnel profiling, station design...).

NOTES:

An "LRT stop" is a simple stop, much like what is found on St. Clair or Spadina. The LRVs cross the intersection at grade.

A "Rail station" is a stop where the vehicles do not have any contact with traffic. They are typically elevated or underground.

For this map to work, LRVs would be high-floor vehicles running at 600V DC, to allow interoperation with subways.

I don't actually think the DRL should connect at union (it would be prohibitively expensive), but I drew it that way because it looks nicer on a map than either of the Wellington options.

 

[sixrings]

However, I don't think there is any point in having a Sheppard West LRT, because there isn't that much stuff on Sheppard west of Downsview.

Downsview park will cause alot of development to happen at Keele and Sheppard. Jane could also be redevloped on the north west side noth east side and south east side... AT the end of sheppard at weston there is a large development happening as we speak....

That being said I added a Sheppard west LRT mainly to be consistant with the rest of sheppard. However I will acknowledge I HATE BUSSES and I see transit city LRTS as a way of phasing out busses on main routes....

 

[Asterix]

Finch (hydro corridor) could serve long distance demand with infrequent stops and more grade separation,.

I thought that there was little chance of any kind of major development (including LRT) happening on the hydro corridor.

In addition to possible zoning issues (right now there isn't much beyond parking lots, allotment gardens, playing fields and the York bus byway), I've been under the impression Hydro is not keen at all (maybe to the point of actual regulations) in having any kind of significant electrical systems (ie an electrified LRT line) right under their high voltage towers.

That's not even touching on the issues relating to the corridor being several hundred meters north of actual destinations of the expected riders on the line.