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TTC: Sheppard Subway Expansion (Speculative)

I would have done:

Eglinton LRT with a trench or elevated on Eglinton East (Black Creek to Centennial)
DRL from Union to Pape-Danforth
Finch BRT from Humber College to Malvern

I think this is very reasonable. Unfortunately, the number one reason for the high priority of Sheppard East LRT was to stop the subway, which was a symbol of Lastman and the Conservatives. It was required to turn the existing subway into an isolated stub - essentially sabatoging the Lastman legacy.
 
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I would have done:

Eglinton LRT with a trench or elevated on Eglinton East (Black Creek to Centennial)
DRL from Union to Pape-Danforth
Finch BRT from Humber College to Malvern

Ottawa style BRT(you know what I am talking about) would have been great for finch.
I would just do Eglinton in one Shot, connect it with the airport and Malvern LRT(if eglinton gets built this will happen

DRL - one shot Bloor to Pape, or Black Creek to Eglinton-Don Mills just to cover all ground.
 
I think this is very reasonable. Unfortunately, the number one reason for the high priority of Sheppard East LRT was to stop the subway, which was a symbol of Lastman and the Conservatives. It was required to turn the existing subway into an isolated stub - essentially sabatoging the Lastman legacy.

There's truth in this, but not as deep as a "sabotage" against a political "symbol".

Basically, the SELRT was to shut the people of Sheppard East up. Their continual demands for a subway (e.g. Save Our Sheppard) was hampering transit progress in this city. The reality is that BRT, BRT-lite, queue jump lanes, even artics would've all been more than adequate for Sheppard East. LRT is above and beyond what's truly needed. So why LRT? Because it was a token offering to pacify the ridiculous homeowners who wanted increased property values from a subway they would never use.

And there's the matter of the paradoxical stance of these homeowners: They would fight the City every step of the way when it comes time to rezone for increased density. Why? Because they've made it clear that their idyllic Sheppard needs to be 'saved' from traffic chaos.
 
It's a squandered opportunity. There could have been new Liberty Villages popping up south along Sheppard without the historical part. And they could have sold the best of both worlds for these new neighbourhoods. Easy access to a subway and the 401 at the same time.
 
Ottawa style BRT(you know what I am talking about) would have been great for finch.
I would just do Eglinton in one Shot, connect it with the airport and Malvern LRT(if eglinton gets built this will happen

DRL - one shot Bloor to Pape, or Black Creek to Eglinton-Don Mills just to cover all ground.

Yup, BRT could have been built on most of Finch for the same cost as the FWLRT. On the outer areas, it would only really need queue jump lanes instead of full BRT lanes.

Eglinton should have been done in 1 shot, but in order to do it properly, it would have needed to be trenched through the Richview corridor, something that I don't think would fly very well in the current political climate. As a result, better to end it at Black Creek for now and do it right later on. It would have also taken away needed funds from the DRL.
 
I don't think we'll even be able to build a DRL at this point due to NIMBYism. Basically I've all but given up hope for transit in Toronto. It's going to get a LOT worse before it gets better.
 
I don't think we'll even be able to build a DRL at this point due to NIMBYism. Basically I've all but given up hope for transit in Toronto. It's going to get a LOT worse before it gets better.

Do you really think that there will be that much NIMBYism in downtown against a subway?

If anything, the two biggest challenges will be funding and convincing suburbanites that the DRL is needed.
 
Do you really think that there will be that much NIMBYism in downtown against a subway?

If anything, the two biggest challenges will be funding and convincing suburbanites that the DRL is needed.

I agree with you. People oppose things because they fear it will spark unwanted change in their neighbourhood. Since they are going to build condos and office buildings downtown anyway, a subway downtown isn't really going to change anything.
 
Yup, BRT could have been built on most of Finch for the same cost as the FWLRT. On the outer areas, it would only really need queue jump lanes instead of full BRT lanes.

Eglinton should have been done in 1 shot, but in order to do it properly, it would have needed to be trenched through the Richview corridor, something that I don't think would fly very well in the current political climate. As a result, better to end it at Black Creek for now and do it right later on. It would have also taken away needed funds from the DRL.

People are stupid. in the Richview Corridor = no roads = sepcial lights = no "war on cars". I agree though. I think we should focus on the DRL (one shot) now. Raise funds and visit Eglinton mid or late decade.
 
re: DRL and NIMBYism

The trouble won't come from downtown proper - it will, depending on the alignment, be from Riverdale and environs.

AoD
 
People are stupid. in the Richview Corridor = no roads = sepcial lights = no "war on cars". I agree though. I think we should focus on the DRL (one shot) now. Raise funds and visit Eglinton mid or late decade.

But let's not forget that the Richview corridor is green space that has community value.
 
I may have missed something here, but I recall that significant portions of the Richview lands were sold for development last year and a trenched rapid transit line is now simply not ever possible.
 
I agree with you. People oppose things because they fear it will spark unwanted change in their neighbourhood. Since they are going to build condos and office buildings downtown anyway, a subway downtown isn't really going to change anything.

That and people downtown are more likely to take transit, and thus are more likely to be in favour of the construction of new transit.

I may have missed something here, but I recall that significant portions of the Richview lands were sold for development last year and a trenched rapid transit line is now simply not ever possible.

I thought they were talking about selling some of it, but I don't know if it actually went through or not.
 

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