Bloor Viaduct - Foresight!

Bloor (Prince Edward) Viaduct - Foresight!

The foresight demonstrated by early planners and politicians in the City of Toronto in planning and building the the Bloor Viaduct so that is was capable of carrying a subway, that would not be built until 48 years later, was one of the greatest achievements for this city.

The density was not there when Toronto first starting talking between 1910 and 1912 about the possibility of building a bridge to span the Don Valley between Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue [Later called the Prince Edward Viaduct (now commonly referred to as the Bloor Viaduct)] - Consultants suggested that the Prince Edward Viaduct include a lower deck for a future subway - The lower deck was built, but the first plan for a line to use it was not made until June 15, 1933, when the TTC published a report which suggested the construction of a subway along Bloor Street and Danforth Avenue – Includes excerpts from Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_2_Bloor%E2%80%93Danforth#Pre-subway_era

BRIEF HISTORY – Bloor (Prince Edward) Viaduct

- 1910 and 1912 - The first serious record of discussions for a bridge with a lower deck spanning the Don Valley for a possible future subway *

- 1914 – Planning begun

- 1918 – Bloor Viaduct opened

- 1919 – Final completion of construction

- 1966 – Bloor-Danforth subway opened *

* Now THAT is foresight!!! - It’s too bad today’s politicians have no foresight and don’t listen to their planners and other consultants

See also:

http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/09/the_birth_of_the_bloor_viaduct/


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