York Region Page
I have finally updated the York Region Options page.
I provide two alternatives to building 4 km of subway between Steeles and Highway 7. The first keeps an LRT line underground for that portion of Yonge Street, but my preferred option is to come above ground just above Steeles (assuming an underground across-the-platform transfer with the subway).
This proposal provides 21 km of LRT for the same $1.4 billion the 4 km of subway would cost. This includes 10 km on Yonge between Steeles and Elgin Mills (including a 1 km tunnel north of Major Mac) and 11 km east-west line from Centre at Dufferin to Highway 7 at Woodbine.
February 10th, 2011 at 9:25 pm
Hello!
I am a third year planning student at the University of Waterloo and Chair of the Waterloo Student Planning Advisory’s Transportation Committee. I feel that underground construction and maintenance is more costly than that on surface and feel it would be best to keep it at a minimal. I also think that this initiate has long been awaited as it will spur Richmond Hill’s economy along Yonge St., providing it with a viable, long anticipated corridor.
Cal’s comment: I agree that underground construction should be kept to a minimum. My preferred LRT proposal only uses underground construction for the connection with the subway at Steeles and the stretch on Yonge between Major Mac and Crosby because it is the overall best option for those two locations. A major benefit, besides cost, of LRT over a heavy rail metro system is its flexibility to shift between totally isolated right of ways to partially segregated, and even to fully mixed traffic situations where warranted. Full metro systems must be in a fully segregated right of way, and even though placing it on the surface is less costly than underground or elevated, it still requires a substantially greater amound of space than LRT does.
If possible, please keep me updated with Transit City (especially when it concerns Richmond Hill - I am a resident and very interested in what will be happening in my community). If there is ever a change for public participation or you would like a student/resident (who also has a permanent physical disability) to sit in on a meeting or be a representative of some sort, please by all means let me know!
Thank you!
Jacqueline Lee
Keep watching this site. When there are public meetings for transit development, I post the details of each event.
August 10th, 2013 at 7:27 am
I have sent multiple emails to councillors, Metrolinx, Civic Action, Ontario parliament members etc. to complain about Metrolinx’s severe lack of information that they want $50 billion for. Check my dropbox links, I update occasionally as I get more information. My argument for subways is congestion, tunneling is less disruptive than ripping out the centre of the road, despite cost difference.
Cal’s comment: Have you had to drive through the intersection of Finch and Keele in the past year or so? Have you had to drive along Highway 7 between Bayview and the 404 in the past year or so? One of these is far more disruptive, causing traffic to squeeze into one lane, and even detour several blocks for months at a time, while the other has maintained the same three lanes of traffic in each direction for most of the construction period.
Tunneling is less disruptive between stations, but the fact of the matter is that the level of disruption at station locations is so severe that its overall effect is a total disruption that is far greater than centre of the road construction.
I do agree lighter routes should be LRT, I do not agree the underused RT corridor deserves LRT, when the extension covers a greater area despite claims otherwise. The RT has 2 stops around a municipal yard and library, Midland and Ellesmere, they are pointless, no neighbourhoods exist there. That corridor parallels a GO line which can add stops if necessary. The Malvern line proposed parallels 2 GO line stops, also overkill. Don Mills proposal should use Leslie as DRL subway expected will overlap it. Jane is a great idea, but dipping into YORK U is more overkill, YORK U must have lobbied big time for all the service they will have, send Jane up to Major MacKenzie and the new hospital. I like Dufferin in any mode, I suggested subway.
Let’s filter out all the wrong in that paragraph. Though plans for the SRT to LRT conversion included Ellesmere station, it would have been likely that it would be mothballed as a cost-cutting measure. While Midland is in a somewhat low-density area, it does serve a good transfer connection with the bus on Midland.
The GO line that parallels the SRT between Kennedy and Ellesmere stations serves a different purpose that the SRT. While adding one more stop is possible, it is not very practical due to the lengthier acceleration and deceleration of heavy rail. Furthermore, there is the small issue of lack of fare integration that deters commuters from using this parallel route as an alternative.
The Jane LRT proposal, not funded currently nor part of the Metrolinx next wave, will not dip into York U. It will terminate at the Steeles West subway station (or Black Creek, depending on what the name will finally be). Your knowledge of what York U lobbied for is sadly misinformed. York U has stipulated that once the subway opens, there will be NO transit vehicles on their campus. All transit users will arrive on campus by subway.
The proposed Malvern LRT line, also not funded nor part of the second wave, does not parallel any GO line. It does come in close proximity to two stops on the lakeshore line, but it is a far cry from saying that this parallels the line. A convenient connection at the Eglinton GO station would be possible, but such is not the case at the Guildwood station, or have you not ever had to walk in to that station from Kingston Road? I have, and even done so in the winter, and I can say it is not exactly a convenient connection. Even so, the LRT’s route between this station deviates from the rail line and would provide service to a large area of residents.
You complain about the SRT route paralleling a GO route as being wasteful, then you suggest a Jane LRT all the way to Major Mac. Have you not heard that this will parallel a new subway that is set to open in the next couple of years?