Canadian LRT/RT projects U/C

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Taeolas

A dark horse candidate has entered the LRT scene.

Sydney, Nova Scotia (CBRM), recently commissioned CBU to do a study on the feasibility of a LRT system in the city.

The study has been completed

CBU concludes that such a project WOULD be feasible. They propose a 5-station line, mainly using existing rail line. Costs to set it up would be around $142M, using electric trains on a 20-minute 7AM-11PM schedule.

It does seem a bit of a white elephant to me, but if they're thinking outside the box (I initially typed bus there....) for transit options for smaller communities, this could be revolutionary.

This might be a "right place, right opportunity" situation too, since they seem to have the track available for the route; so it would be good to repurpose it this way now, before it gets torn up and the land fliped to other uses.

I'm sure the price point is underestimating a lot of things; I wouldn't be surprised if the real costs were 500M; but that still seems doable, but maybe not for CBRM.

I suspect this will eventually just rot on the vine with no further action in the end; but it is an interesting to consider.

Cape Breton's population is melting away with about 800 + natural deaths per year and the post Covid Population boom is over.I would suspect that this proposal is quietly coming from the Transportation Ministers folks as a trial balloon to assuage the Sydney crowd that loudly proclaims that 'Halifax gets everything". The Transportation minister is from Glace Bay, gee at the end of the proposed line. Hmmm.
Welcome to good old fashioned N.S. Politics.

Now, about that third Crossing of Halifax Harbour for the 60,000 cars per day.

[GeneralLea]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

The majority of Eglinton will not be street running since most will underground with some short elevated stretches. That includes about 1/2 of the 1st phase and all but a short stretch of the 2nd phase. So no.

But the eastern part starting around Sunnybrook and ending at Kennedy... maybe.

Yeah, its a concern I've held for many years. It's going to be brutal riding the Crosstown in Scarborough, and a pleasant time west of Sunnybrook...but I can't help but feel this split typology of surface and underground trains will slow things down on the whole line.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by GeneralLea

Yeah, its a concern I've held for many years. It's going to be brutal riding the Crosstown in Scarborough, and a pleasant time west of Sunnybrook...but I can't help but feel this split typology of surface and underground trains will slow things down on the whole line.

It could definitely slow down the arrival of the next train if you're waiting for one that got delayed on the surface section.

[Nite]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I just watched that. I don't know that part of Toronto at all. The guy who drove in his own car took 23 minutes for the same trip.

Sounds like they never prioritized traffic lights to give them right of way. Hopefully they can fix that, seems like a lot of unhappy people who were hoping it would be good.

Metrolink built the line with full transit signal priority, but the city is refusing to turn it on currently. The TTC is also intentional running the line slow.
Metrolink tested the line at full speed (60km/h) and travel times were predicted to be 27 to 33 min. the TTC seems to limit max speeds to 40km/h for some reason.

anyway here is the most thorough video about the new line
• Video Link

[niwell]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

It could definitely slow down the arrival of the next train if you're waiting for one that got delayed on the surface section.

As long as trains on the surface section are slowed down equally on average it shouldn't really matter for the underground portion of the line. I suspect it won't be quite as bad as Finch regardless due to somewhat better stop spacing - during RSD trains seemed to be moving at a decent clip at least and there didn't seem to be much bunching. Then again Finch was running faster during testing too...

TTC has already announced that travel times should be 10 mins faster on Finch by Spring, and this is without full transit priority. Given that both the mayor's office and Doug himself seem pissed about this I suspect there may be some political pressure to speed things up further on a tighter timeframe. The bad press is probably the best thing that can happen now, even though the cited 31 min bus trip is very much an off-peak best case scenario (during rush hour it can be 50+ mins).

[craner]

Infrastructure works underway for Calgary’s Green Line - targeting a 2031 opening (if they get the downtown segment figured out).

'We're making great progress': Councillors receive Green Line update as southeast construction ramps up
http://https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/councillors-green-line-lrt-update-southeast-construction-ramps-up

[missing_middle]

I still don't know why you wouldn't just choose to do elevated rail in almost every situation. It seem superior in costs and speed.

[Nite]

Originally Posted by missing_middle

I still don't know why you wouldn't just choose to do elevated rail in almost every situation. It seem superior in costs and speed.

Well it simple, there is usually significant opposition by neighbors when elevated rail in proposed. look up the REM East and the Eglinton Crosstown west expansion.
Both elevated rail plans were scrapped for more expensive oppositions.

[Nouvellecosse]

^ I think there are many cases where elevated isn't appropriate due to shadowing and noise concerns. But neither of those fall into that category imo. In both of those cases the NIMBY position was unreasonable and governments should not have capitulated. In Eglinton's case it wasted a vast amount of funds that could have gone toward additional transit expansion. And with the REM de l'Est the decision robbed a huge number of people the chance of having high quality, higher order transit in a reasonably affordable way and instead leaves them with either a slower, less reliable surface LRT or an unnecessary transfer to a green line that will be slower and more crowded than the initial proposal.

[rdaner]

And elevated rail destroys the street that it is on as anyone who has been to Chicago will tell you!

[missing_middle]

Originally Posted by rdaner

And elevated rail destroys the street that it is on as anyone who has been to Chicago will tell you!

Is Chicago the best example of modern elevated rail?...

[Doady]

I build a lot of elevated rail in SimCity 4. Not sure I would build it in Toronto though.

LRT should never have been chosen for Eglinton, but it can still be justified with an onstreet branch along Eglinton into Mississauga and another on-street branch along Lawrence East into Scarbrough. Essentially two LRT lines converging onto the tunnelled section between Renforth and Don Mills.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by rdaner

And elevated rail destroys the street that it is on as anyone who has been to Chicago will tell you!

I think that's true if it's an urban street where the sidewalk and buildings are right beside the traffic lanes. For instance, I'd never want the Ontario line to be elevated over Queen which would be the equivalent to what we see in Chicago where the elevated guideway is too overbearing and makes the street seem too dark. But with Eglinton west of the Mt. Dennis area and the proposed path of the REM de l'Est along Notre Dame, the right of way is very wide with extra space beside the roadway so I honestly don't believe there's a real issue.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by Doady

I build a lot of elevated rail in SimCity 4. Not sure I would build it in Toronto though.

LRT should never have been chosen for Eglinton, but it can still be justified with an onstreet branch along Eglinton into Mississauga and another on-street branch along Lawrence East into Scarbrough. Essentially two LRT lines converging onto the tunnelled section between Renforth and Don Mills.

In Japan many of the most interesting districts / areas are crisscrossed with elevated raillines and highways.

Anyways, a small update on the Expo Line extension.

I'm really happy that Skytrain has dodged the at grade LRT bullet several times now, at one point the Canada Line, the Evergreen Lines, the Broadway Subway, and the Expo Line extension were all considered or even fully planned to be at grade LRT...

Originally Posted by officedweller

From the BC Transportation Flickr:

Green Timbers Station Mezzanine - Oct 28, 2025


https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/54972552023/in/album-72177720298782138

Columns just east of Hwy 15.
Fairly tall there.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/tranbc/54972646489/in/album-72177720298782138

[Beedok]

Elevated rail builds such cool layered urbanism. I would want to live in a city with more of it.

[J.OT13]

Progress on Ottawa east extension of Line 1, expected to open in Q1 2026.

• Video Link

[J.OT13]

Progress Ottawa's Stage 2 West.

• Video Link

[ericmacm]

I updated the list again from the first post. Both a lot and not a lot has happened over the last couple of years, with many projects wrapping up and others hanging out in the planning process forever. Additionally, we have seen a lot of new projects enter a more detailed level of planning.

We continue to make significant progress on the expansion of rapid transit across our country, even if it is incremental in some cases. I am looking forward to seeing what the next 5-10 years brings us.

Under Construction:

• Montreal - Réseau Express Métropolitain (CDPQi) - 4 Stations - 67km - 2026
• Ottawa - Lines 1 and 3 / Confederation Stage 2 East (OC Transpo) - 5 Stations - 12km - 2026
• Montreal - Réseau Express Métropolitain (CDPQi) - 3 Stations - 67km - 2027
• Ottawa - Lines 1 and 3 / Confederation Stage 2 West (OC Transpo) - 11 Stations - 15km - 2027
• Vancouver - Millennium Line / Broadway Subway Phase 1 (TransLink) - 6 Stations - 5.7km - 2027
• Mississauga - Line 10 Hazel McCallion / Hurontario LRT (Metrolinx) - 19 Stations - 18km - 2028
• Edmonton - Valley Line West (ETS) - 16 Stations - 14km - 2028
• Vancouver - Expo Line / Surrey Langley Extension (TransLink) - 8 Stations - 16km - 2029
• Edmonton - Capital Line South Phase 1 (ETS) - 2 Stations - 4.5km - 2030
• Toronto - Line 1 Yonge-University / Yonge North Subway Extension (TTC/Metrolinx) - 6 Stations - 7.4km - 2030
• Toronto - Line 2 Bloor-Danforth / Scarborough Extension (TTC/Metrolinx) - 3 Stations - 7.8km - 2030
• Toronto - Line 3 Ontario (Metrolinx) - 15 Stations - 15.5km - 2031
• Toronto - Line 5 Eglinton / West Extension (TTC/Metrolinx) - 7 Stations - 9.2km - 2031
• Calgary - Green Line Stage 1 (CT) - 10 Stations - 16km - 2031
• Montreal - Blue Line Extension (STM) - 5 Stations - 5.8km - 2031

Planned:

• Hamilton - Line B / Hamilton LRT (Metrolinx) - 17 Stations - 14km - Start 2027
• Quebec City - TramCité Phase 1 (CDPQi) - 29 Stations - 19.3km - Start 2027
• Edmonton - Metro Line Northwest Phase 2 (ETS) - 7 Stations - 10.4km - Start 2027+
• Edmonton - Capital Line South Phase 2 (ETS) - 3 Stations - 3.5km - Start 2029+
• Gatineau - Tramway Hull-Aylmer (STO) - 18 Stations - 26km - Start 2029+
• Ottawa - Line 1 / Confederation Stage 3 Barrhaven (OC Transpo) - 7 Stations - 10km - Start 2029+
• Ottawa - Line 3 / Confederation Stage 3 Kanata (OC Transpo) - 8 Stations - 11km - Start 2029+
• Kitchener-Waterloo - ION Phase 2 (Grand River Transit) - 8 Stations - 18km - Start 2029+
• Mississauga - Line 10 Hazel McCallion / MCC Loop (Metrolinx) - 3 Stations - 2.5km - Start 2029+
• Brampton - Line 10 Hazel McCallion / Main Street Extension (Metrolinx) - 4 Stations - 3.5km - Start 2029+
• Toronto - Line 7 Eglinton East (TTC) - 27 Stations - 18.6km - Start 2029+
• Calgary - Green Line Stage 2 (CT) - 30 Stations - 19km - Start 2029+
• Edmonton - Capital Line Northeast Extension (ETS) - 1 Station - 2.9km - Start 2029+
• Montreal - Projet Structurant de l’Est (ARTM) - 31 Stations - 38km - Start 2029+
• Calgary - Red Line South Extension (CT) - 2 Stations - 4km - Start 2029+
• Calgary - Blue Line Northeast Extension (CT) - 1 station - 1km - Start 2029+
• Vancouver - Millennium Line / Broadway Subway Phase 2 UBC Extension (TransLink) - 4 Stations - 7km - Start 2029+

Long-Term Planned:

• Toronto - Line 4 Sheppard / East Extension (TTC/Metrolinx)
• Toronto - Line 4 Sheppard / West Extension (TTC/Metrolinx)
• Toronto - Line 5 Eglinton / Pearson Extension (TTC/Metrolinx)
• Vancouver - Millennium Line / Port Coquitlam East Extension (TransLink)
• Vancouver - Olympic Line / Reinstatement (TransLink)
• Calgary - Airport Line (CT)
• Edmonton - Capital Line / Horse Hill Extension (ETS)
• Edmonton - Energy Line (ETS)
• Edmonton - Festival Line (ETS)
• Edmonton - Metro Line / St. Albert Extension (ETS)
• Quebec City - TramCité / Phase 2 Levis (CDPQi)
• Victoria - West Shore LRT (BCT)

Completed:

• Edmonton - Metro Line (ETS) - 3 Stations - 3.3km - Opened September 6, 2015
• Vancouver - Evergreen Line (TransLink) - 6 Stations - 11km - Opened December 2, 2016
• Toronto - Line 1 Yonge-University / Vaughan Extension (TTC) - 6 Stations - 8.6km - Opened December 27, 2017
• Kitchener-Waterloo - ION Phase 1 (Grand River Transit) - 16 Stations - 19km - Opened June 21, 2019
• Ottawa - Confederation Line (OC Transpo) - 13 Stations - 12.5km - Opened September 14, 2019
• Edmonton - Valley Line Southeast (ETS) - 12 Stations - 13km - Opened November 4, 2023
• Montreal - Réseau Express Métropolitain (CDPQi) - 5 Stations - 67km - Opened partly July 31, 2023
• Edmonton - Metro Line Northwest Phase 1 (ETS) - 2 Stations - 1.6km - Opened January 20, 2024
• Ottawa - Line 2 / Trillium Stage 2 South (OC Transpo) - 6 Stations - 11km - Opened January 6, 2025
• Ottawa - Line 4 / Trillium Stage 2 South (OC Transpo) - 2 Stations - 4km - Opened January 6, 2025
• Montreal - Réseau Express Métropolitain (CDPQi) - 14 Stations - 67km - Opened partly November 17, 2025
• Toronto - Line 6 Finch West / Finch West LRT (TTC/Metrolinx) - 18 Stations - 11km - Opened December 7, 2025
• Toronto - Line 5 Eglinton / Crosstown LRT (TTC/Metrolinx) - 25 Stations - 19km - Opened February 8, 2026

Cancelled:

• Toronto - Jane LRT (TTC)
• Toronto - Sheppard LRT (TTC)
• Montreal - Pink Line (STM)
• Montreal - REM de l'Est (CDPQi)
• Vancouver - Surrey LRT (TransLink)
• London - Shift LRT (LTC)

[Metro-One]

Thanks! But, the Expo Line isn’t being phased.

The entire project (16km, 8 stations) is UC.

[Innsertnamehere]

Also - the Yonge Line extension is under construction as well.

from the latest update from Metrolinx - they are working on the northern tunnel portal:



I would also add the Sheppard subway extension to the "Planned" list:

https://www.metrolinx.com/en/projects-and-programs/sheppard-extension