The Scarborough Transit Planning Update - January 21, 2016 - Comments and Concerns

The Scarborough Transit Planning Update

January 21, 2016

Following is a copy of my comments and concerns regarding The Scarborough Planning Update tabled in January 2016:


TORONTO TRAFFIC AND TRANSIT - The city is sick and needs a quadruple bypass – The Ontario Government stopped expressway construction in the early 70s and look where we are now - Cars have not gone away and are not going away anytime soon - The existing transit system provides very few options for those travelling between and within the east and west areas of the city – The rapid options for public transit are the Bloor-Danforth subway and the Go Train through Union Station, or by car using the 401 – The latest proposal for transit in Scarborough addresses most of  the issues reasonably well, but doesn’t go far enough


Links

The Scarborough Transit Planning Update - January 21, 2016

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-87737.pdf

http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Planning/Transportation%20Planning/Files/pdf/21-01-15%20Breifing%20-%20Scarborough%20Transit%20Planning%20Update.pdf


https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/d9d346f4-ee54-4fb2-b38b-fe963ca8bd4d

LRT vs SHEPPARD AVENUE SUBWAY EXTENSION - The reason that the existing Sheppard Avenue subway is underused is that it doesn't go to or from anywhere - An extension of the existing Sheppard subway [east to at least McCowan and Sheppard (together with the new Finch LRT and an LRT or subway connection between the Finch LRT and the Sheppard subway line), would:  create a real purpose for the existing Sheppard subway; tie everything together; minimize the number of different modes of transit and wasteful transfers between them; provide rapid public transit east to west for all of East York, North York, and Scarborough north of the 401; and would provide some relief to the Bloor-Danforth line - High capacity parking nodes at the east terminus of the Sheppard subway line at McCowan and Sheppard, and at the west terminus of the Finch LRT, would get people out of their cars, relieve traffic on the 401, and make the Sheppard Avenue subway line relevant - The high capacity parking node at McCowan and Sheppard could also service the  Scarborough subway line if the Scarborough subway were to be extended up to Sheppard Avenue

 - The number of different modes of transit and transfers must be minimized – The Don Mills and Sheppard subway station should be connected by a subway to Scarborough Centre via McCowan and Sheppard, not an LRT – Even if we have to wait for it, it will be worth the wait – Agreed that the Scarborough subway, Crosstown East LRT, and SmartTrack need to be built first, but we should make up our minds and plan for it now – If you build it, they will come

$3 BILLION OR $3 BILLION * - It should also be noted that when presenting the comparison between the $1 billion cost of building a Sheppard LRT and the $3 billion cost of extending the existing Sheppard subway line to Scarborough Centre was made public, there was a hidden $1 billion cost of building a new transitional station to connect the existing Don Mills and Sheppard subway station to the new Sheppard LRT – This cost was never fully disclosed or properly take into consideration - The real cost of building a Sheppard LRT would have been $2 billion – Having said this, how many 100s of millions will it cost to build a transitional station to connect the new Sheppard LRT to the new Scarborough subway? – Not to mention the extra 18 minutes it would take to transfer from subway to LRT back to subway again - The subway is looking like a better deal every time you look at it

* NOTE:  With the exception of the unknown cost for an LRT/subway transitional station at Scarborough Centre; all costs are based approximate numbers estimated by Metrolinx approximately ten years ago, but; although the costs would have risen since, the increase in cost would apply proportionately to both modes of transit

CROSSTOWN EAST LRT - The extension of the Crosstown East LRT along Eglinton and Morningside to Malvern is a huge benefit to Scarborough - The Crosstown East LRT could one day be run to Malvern and then double back (possibly through Centennial College and then) to Scarborough Centre or McCowan and Sheppard from there – Routing it through Centennial College would be a bit of a trick, but if it could be done, it could continue through Scarborough Centre and connect with SmartTrack at Progress Avenue or Ellesmere – Either way it would provide faster and more convenient service, get people out of their cars, and feed (provide increased ridership for) the new Scarborough and Sheppard subways and SmartTrack

FUTURE LOCAL RAPID TRANSIT FROM SCARBOROUGH CENTRE TOWARDS MARKHAM - Not asking for this now, let’s just plan for it – The subway station at McCowan and Sheppard should be oriented so that it can connect to some form of local rapid transit between Scarborough Centre and Markham in the future – No cost; just dotted lines on your little drawings for now

LET’S GET IT RIGHT! - Let’s get it right the first time – Kathleen Wynne should appreciate the consequences of getting it wrong and the costs of making changes later

Sorry; I realize I’m not being very diplomatic and may have bent a few noses out of joint, but that’s why I’m not a politician – Also not an urban planner; the politics involved would make me sick

Links

The Scarborough Transit Planning Update - January 21, 2016

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-87737.pdf

http://www1.toronto.ca/City%20Of%20Toronto/City%20Planning/Transportation%20Planning/Files/pdf/21-01-15%20Breifing%20-%20Scarborough%20Transit%20Planning%20Update.pdf

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/d9d346f4-ee54-4fb2-b38b-fe963ca8bd4d


Other Links

Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/news/city_hall/2012/01/25/a_new_toronto_transit_proposal_delivers_more_bang_for_the_82_billion_buck.html

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2016/01/20/revised-scarborough-subway-plan-eliminates-2-stations.html

Notes 

FYI; the links posted here should all still be good, but; I will be abandoning this blog and will only be updating this blog from time to time - Visit my new blog at www.torontotransitblog.com for information, ideas, comments, and concerns regarding traffic and transit in the GTA

P.S - I am working on a map that will illustrate all or most of my key proposals and ideas, so; STAY TUNED to www.torontotransitblog.com - My proposals and maps should be ready by the end of February 2016