TORONTO - Transit Developments

[M II A II R II K]

Dundas West-Bloor Mobility Hub PDF: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projects...West-Bloor.pdf

Mobility hubs are major transit station areas with significant levels of planned transit service (the intersection of two or more current or planned regional rapid transit lines) and high residential and employment development potential within an approximately 800m radius of the rapid transit station.

The recommendations of the Dundas West-Bloor Mobility Hub study aim to seamlessly integrate various modes of transportation, including walking, cycling and high speed rail, within a transit oriented environment.

Specifically, the objectives of the study are to:

• Prepare a Mobility Hub Development Plan for the Dundas West-Bloor Mobility Hub.

• Prepare design concepts for the station area and immediate vicinity, including plans to improve connections between the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Dundas West Station, the Georgetown GO platforms, the Air Rail Link stop, and the West Toronto Rail Path.

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[M II A II R II K]

How bad driving habits are causing GTA traffic gridlock


September 02, 2012

By San Grewal

Read More: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/arti...affic-gridlock

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“We need to create a culture of disciplined driving,” says Professor Baher Abdulhai, director of the Intelligent Transportation Systems Centre at the University of Toronto. The economic cost of congestion in the GTA is pegged at upwards of $6 billion a year. And there is also the cost of lost family time and inactivity. Road pricing and public transit are seen as ways to fix things. But could simply improving our driving habits make a difference?

- Abdulhai says GTA drivers need to know that refusing to let drivers merge, rubbernecking, speeding into already congested areas and driving the wrong speed in a lane need to be viewed as much more than just bad driving. “Driving behaviour has an impact on traffic congestion. It makes everything worse. It’s not the silver bullet to fix traffic congestion, but if you combine the right systems with disciplined driving, a 25 to 30 per cent reduction in congestion is possible.”

- That’s the target traffic experts such as Abdulhai are trying to achieve: when traffic volume through a typical stretch of highway hits maximum capacity (about 2,200 vehicles per hour per lane), flow drops to zero, resulting in complete gridlock. It takes a significant reduction in traffic to get things moving again, he explains. Without such a reduction, gridlock will continue to cost the GTA. According to a 2010 study for the Toronto Board of Trade, the average GTA commute was 80 minutes, the worst in North America, and according to study done for Metrolinx, traffic congestion will cost the GTA and Hamilton area economy $15 billion by 2031.

- When approaching a known congestion zone such as an accident or construction area, drivers often accelerate before braking hard once they are very near the stopped car ahead. But research shows that this approach speeds up the amount of time it takes all cars to reach stopped traffic by pushing the so-called line of zero movement further away from the congestion cause. In other words cars are forced to stop sooner and for longer. It then takes much longer for all traffic to begin moving again. A smooth traffic flow keeps the line of zero movement to a smaller area, trapping fewer vehicles.

- Abdulhai says bad driving habits, such as tailgating, which causes sharp braking and a domino effect that leads to stop-and-go traffic, should be addressed through education. But he stresses that better traffic systems, such as metered lights at on-ramps, congestion pricing and proper speed limits also need to be implemented. In Germany, the driver’s test is so difficult (requiring months of preparation) that the U.S. army recently complained to German authorities about the failure rate of its members and their spouses who are based there but cannot drive. Abdulhai says congestion and bad driving in the GTA will only get worse if the entire traffic culture doesn’t change.

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[K 22]

When are they going to start construction on the Eglinton LRT?

[Nouvellecosse]

It started like a year ago.

[M II A II R II K]

TTC won’t operate Eglinton LRT


September 19, 2012

By Tess Kalinowski

Read More: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/tran...e-eglinton-lrt

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The provincial agency sent TTC executives and city manager Joe Pennachetti a letter Wednesday confirming that Metrolinx would be pursuing an alternative financing and procurement (AFP) model for the provincially funded projects, including a private partner for the operation and maintenance of the Eglinton, Sheppard and Finch LRTs. Metrolinx says the decision is based on getting better value for money.

- “Under the AFP model, we protect taxpayers by building in strict penalties for any cost and schedule overruns. If the project is late, the private sector pays. If project is over budget, the private sector pays,” said a statement late Wednesday from Metrolinx. It also said the two transit agencies will continue to work together. However, TTC chair Karen Stintz says the TTC’s input will now largely be restricted to the design of the interchange stations where the subway intersects with the LRT at Eglinton West, Yonge and Kennedy.

- But the decision raises many questions about what happens to commuters if the Crosstown runs GO green instead of Rocket red. Among them: Will commuters have to pay two fares? And who sets the Crosstown fare? If it is higher than the TTC fares, what happens to riders who can’t afford to pay more, since the Crosstown is supposed to replace the Eglinton buses? There are also questions about how riders will transfer between the subway and the Crosstown given that the two will be separate operations in the same location. “(Is the province) now going to take on the full cost of operating the line?” wondered Stintz, who noted that neither GO nor the TTC recover their operating costs through the fare box.

- Nevertheless, she called it a clean, net gain for the TTC. The savings from bus operations on Eglinton would have been funneled back into the Crosstown. Now the cash-starved TTC will probably be able to channel that money into its other expenses. There won’t be room to run buses on Eglinton because the bus lanes are being removed to make way for the LRT, she said. “If there’s ever an issue on that line, how are they going to move people?” Stintz said it’s not clear what’s driving the decision. If Metrolinx is hoping to build an integrated regional transit system, bringing another operator into the equation doesn’t make sense, she said.

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[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by M II A II R II K

TTC won’t operate Eglinton LRT

That's crazy. I don't know what they're trying to pull but I don't like it.

[Dr Nevergold]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

That's crazy. I don't know what they're trying to pull but I don't like it.

I used to not support public private partnerships at all, but after seeing the success of Vancouver's Canada Line I've warmed up to the concept.

The problem in Toronto for years has been that a plan is cooked up by one government, so much time passes that another government is elected and tries to do away with the previous project. With a public-private partnership, at least the project will involve private contracts that a newly formed government can't just breach without going through intense legal battles.

Now, with that said, that isn't a "good" reason to support public private partnerships, but in Vancouver didn't the private sector pick up some of the tab and is now taking care of operational costs (i.e. the cost of employees to maintain the Canada Line) thus releasing pressure from government expenditure?

I'm very open for debate, but Vancouver's model may be a model for Toronto to follow given Toronto's utter failure at building anything new since the Scarborough RT and Sheppard Stubway. That isn't much progress for 25-30 years of planning in a booming metropolis that is quickly emerging as a new world class city.

The question is how to integrate fare collection. It needs to be an integrated, shared system where its seamless between traditional TTC routes and the Eglinton line if its going to be semi-private.

[M II A II R II K]

Pearson AirRail Link Construction Underway


August 27, 2012

By Craig White

Read More: http://urbantoronto.ca/news/2012/08/...ction-underway

Columns at the north end of the spur are the most complete, while the concrete is now being poured for columns in the section paralleling the 427. Holes are being drilled currently for columns around the curve paralleling the 427 southbound to 409 westbound ramp. Construction for columns completing the spur along the 409 and over to the Terminal 1 station is still upcoming.

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[M II A II R II K]

Governments of Canada and Ontario Announce Public-Private Partnership to Expand GO Services


September 20, 2012

Read More: http://www.fin.gc.ca/n12/12-107-eng.asp

The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, and the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation, announced their governments’ support for a public-private partnership (P3) to build the GO Transit East Rail Maintenance Facility. The joint investment in this facility is one of the most important investments in support of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan, The Big Move.

“This facility will improve and expand access to rail services; make it easier and faster to get people and goods where they need to go; and support sustainable urban development that leads to stronger communities and a higher quality of life,” said Minister Flaherty. “By delivering this project as a P3, we can realize greater savings and efficiency in the delivery of this much-needed facility while reinforcing our Government’s commitment to jobs, growth and long-term prosperity.”

“The new maintenance and storage facility supports GO Transit’s expansions, including our commitment to bring two-way, all-day GO train service to commuters in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area,” said Minister Chiarelli. “The McGuinty government’s unprecedented public transit investments continue to make taking transit a better choice for commuters and helps reduce congestion on our roads and contributes to a better quality of life for Ontario families.”

A private partner will be chosen through a competitive selection process to design, build finance and maintain the building, which will be located in the Town of Whitby. With significant population growth in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, the facility is a top transit priority and will allow Metrolinx’s operating division, GO Transit, to expand maintenance capacity and increase ridership on all existing GO lines.

“The addition of this facility will allow GO Transit to provide more rail service to commuters in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, increase our maintenance capacity and improve efficiency and effectiveness of service,” said Gary McNeil, president of GO Transit. “It will support further transit investment and integration in the area in addition to other transit projects identified in The Big Move.”

The Government of Canada will contribute up to $94.8 million through the P3 Canada Fund towards eligible construction and implementation costs. The Ontario government will contribute 75 per cent of the final project cost.

The facility will include:

• 18 storage tracks

• an electrical substation for power supply to facility and trains

• progressive maintenance bays for train inspection and maintenance

• coach, diesel, paint and wheel shops

• locomotive and train wash buildings

• a fueling station

• staff offices

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[Innsertnamehere]

so will this make it so that they can run more GO trains everyday? if so, is just specifically on the lakeshore line, or over the whole system?

[M II A II R II K]

Maybe they'll make that up those details as they go along but this should make that more likely.

[ssiguy]

Are they building the current rail link to be easily transfered over to EMU from DMU at some point in the future?

I know the new DMU trains will be able to easily be converted to electric but is this new extension that they are currently building taking that into consideration or will they have to shut down the line while putting up the overhead electrical lines? I know it's not electric now but it seems it would be very forward thinking if they made the new spur EMU ready to begin with.

[M II A II R II K]

TORONTO-YORK SPADINA SUBWAY EXTENSION - STATION NAMES IN TORONTO

PDF: http://www.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Comm...rk_Spadina.pdf

It is recommended that the Commission:

• Approve the station names DOWNSVIEW PARK, FINCH WEST, YORK UNIVERSITY, and STEELES WEST for intermediate stations on the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, noting that these names were the ones most preferred -- in most cases by a wide margin -- by people who participated in the TTC’s public consultation;

• Approve renaming the existing DOWNSVIEW station to SHEPPARD WEST, as described in this report, in order to provide more-effective and useful travel information to passengers, noting that this name change was supported by 71% of the people who participated in the public consultation;

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Station Identification:

• Each rapid transit station will be identified by a name. Normally the station name will incorporate the name of the major cross-street at which it is located, so that the location of the station is clearly identified to customers as they travel through the system.

• All of the TTC's present 69 rapid transit stations have a name related to the geographic location of the station. Of these, 58 are named for an intersecting or nearby street, six are named for a nearby major destination or landmark, and five are named for the district in which they are located. TTC staff have consistently applied the Commission-approved station-naming policy because it is intended to provide the best-possible travel information to customers.

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DOWNSVIEW PARK

This station is located within Downsview Park, and will be the station that best serves customers travelling to the park, and to the developments planned for the area. The station is not located directly on any main road, but will be served by future unnamed local roads that will be established as part of planned developments. The TTC subway station will include an excellent connection to a future GO Transit station on the Barrie Line, and Metrolinx should be encouraged to use the same “Downsview Park” name for the GO station, so that the connection at both stations is easily recognised by customers. The “Downsview Park” name provides useful geographic information for customers.

Other Options Considered:

• “Sheppard West” – The station is located some distance south of Sheppard Avenue. The more prominent intersection of the Spadina Subway with Sheppard Avenue occurs one station to the east, at Sheppard Avenue and Allen Road, and that location is better suited to a “Sheppard West” name.

• “G0/Sheppard” – Including “GO” in a station name is not done at any of the other TTC stations with nearby GO connections. A hyphenated name is more subject to mis-spelling or mis-pronouncing.

• “Chesswood” or “Bakersfield” or “Carl Hall” – These nearby street names are not well known, nor easily recognisable to customers throughout the Toronto area.

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FINCH WEST

Finch Avenue West is the main east-west intersecting street at this station site on a north-south subway line. As such, use of “Finch” in the station name is consistent with the majority of existing TTC stations and with the Commission-approved policy on station names. The use of “West” in the station name is required to avoid confusion with the existing Finch Station, and is consistent with other station names on the Spadina Subway, which have “West” as part of the station name. The “Finch West” name provides useful geographic information for customers.

Other Options Considered:

• “Finch” – This name is already in use for the station at Finch Avenue and Yonge Street on the Yonge Subway. Use of this name would be inconsistent with other stations on the Spadina Subway that are named after major east-west roads and which have “West” as a part of their name.

• “Keele” – This name is already in use for the station at Keele Street and Bloor Street on the Bloor-Danforth Subway. Keele Street is a north-south street, and so, logically, it does not describe the location of this north-south subway line as well as the name of an intersecting east-west street.

• “Keele North” – Keele Street is a north-south street, and so, logically, it does not describe the location of this north-south subway line as well as the name of an intersecting east-west street.

• “Finch-Keele” or “Keele-Finch” – A hyphenated name is subject to mis-spelling or mis-pronouncing. Keele Street is a north-south street, and so, logically, it does not describe the location of this north-south subway line as well as the name of an intersecting east-west street.

• “Four Winds” or “Sentinel” – These nearby street names are not as well known, or recognisable to customers throughout the Toronto area as Finch Street.

• “University Heights” – This neighbourhood name is not as well known, or recognisable to customers throughout the Toronto area as a station name that includes “Finch”, for Finch Street.

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[M II A II R II K]

New TTC streetcars in the Lampton Junction yard tonight

http://breakingprojects.com/junction...ction-tonight/

[ssiguy]

When are those streetcars finally going to be hitting the pavement and do you know which routes will be getting the new streetcars first?

[M II A II R II K]

A year from now, maybe a little longer. And it'll be on Spadina at first when they finish that track work they're doing, as well as that Union to Exhibition route.

[M II A II R II K]

http://stevemunro.ca/?p=6742






https://twitter.com/RandyRisling/sta...649600/photo/1

[M II A II R II K]

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09...to-for-trials/

[Innsertnamehere]

even if we are losing 43 streetcars, this looks like it will still increase capacity on the network greatly.

[M II A II R II K]

Transportation Funding Strategy


September 24th, 2012

PDF: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2...file-50609.pdf

The report from the Expert Advisory Panel regarding transit on Sheppard Avenue East described various funding options for that project. In response, Council directed the City Manager to propose a long term strategy for funding the broader transit expansion plans for consideration in the fall of 2012.

The options strategy contemplates a variety of regional taxes and fees by the Province via Metrolinx dedicated to transportation system expansion that could be the basis for funding transit, active transportation, roads and highway infrastructure over 25 years. The options examined in this discussion paper are considered by staff to be the most appropriate and feasible in terms of policy fit, revenue potential, fairness and administrative efficiency.

The options are intended to be the subject of public consultation, and the results brought back to Council for final endorsement and transmitted to Metrolinx for consideration as part of their transportation plan Investment Strategy report due in June 2013.

The transportation funding options outlined here-in, if implemented by the Province through Metrolinx, would increase taxation or fees for the dedicated purpose of investing in required transportation expansion projects identified in the Big Move report. These investments are seen as necessary to mitigate traffic congestion and facilitate continued growth and economic prosperity in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

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