Metrolinx Unveils Next Wave of Big Move Projects

[ChesterCopperpot]

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1080...-move-projects

Backgrounder

The Big Move's next wave of projects will continue Metrolinx's transformation of the region's transportation system by expanding the regional transit network as well as providing resources for local transit, roads, active transportation and more.

The Next Wave: Key Facts

• 713 km of enhanced transit
• 33 million new transit trips by 2031
• 6,139,344 people will live within 2 km of rapid transit by 2031
• 800,000 to 900,000 new jobs created between 2012 to 2031
• $110 to $130 billion growth to Ontario's GDP between 2012 to 2031
• $25 to $35 billion in total Government Revenues between 2012 to 2031

Rapid Transit Projects:

75 per cent of proposed investment is allocated to a transformative slate of regional transit projects:

• Brampton Queen Street Rapid Transit: 10 km of upgraded transit along Queen Street.
• Downtown Relief Line: New subway that will improve access to the regional core for residents from across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and provide relief to the overflowing arteries of the Toronto transit system.
• Dundas Street Bus Rapid Transit: 40 km of bus service running in dedicated lanes, connecting Toronto, Mississauga and Halton.
• Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit: 36 km of bus service running in dedicated lanes, connecting Scarborough Centre to downtown Oshawa via Pickering, Ajax and Whitby.
• GO Rail Expansion: More Two-Way, All-Day and Rush Hour Service: Introducing more two-way, all-day service, adding additional rush hour service across the entire network, and extending trains to Hamilton and Bowmanville.
• Electrification of GO Kitchener line and Union Pearson Express: Upgrading diesel train service to electric propulsion for these two complementary transit services that share a substantial portion of their routing.
• GO Lakeshore Express Rail Service - Phase 1 (including Electrification): Transforming GO Transit's backbone from Hamilton to Oshawa into a faster, more frequent and more convenient transit option by beginning the transition to an international-style Express Rail service.
• Hamilton Light Rail Transit: 14 km LRT line stretching from McMaster University to Eastgate Square.
• Hurontario-Main Light Rail Transit: 23 km LRT line connecting Port Credit to downtown Brampton via Cooksville and Mississauga City Centre.
• Yonge North Subway Extension: 6 km extension that will connect the City of Toronto to the Richmond Hill / Langstaff Urban Growth Centre.

Local transit, roads and highways and other projects

• The remaining 25 per cent is allocated to local transit projects, as well as roads and highways, active transportation and transportation demand management throughout the region.

[Epi]

It's good they are finally formally stating a lot of the things that we all want (although not all), and unfortunately maybe 20 years later then we'd like (would be great if we had all that now, then we'd be competitive with other similar sized top tier cities around the world).

My problem is what about the funding? It's easy to talk about what we want, but unless we talk about funding it's a non-starter.

[Innsertnamehere]

That is the next big conversation. Today the bascically said to the public that this is what we want to build with our new funding methods, now they have to discuss about what funding method will work for this.

[chuguie]

At least they are 'serious' about the DRL. A few years ago we would mention the DRL and Metrolinx/TTC would instead announce a magnificent project in the middle of Scarborough for three people to use.

I am so excited this whole DRL business is -slowly- becoming a reality.

[icemachine]

The funding plan is due June 2013 - not sure why they need to wait so long to deliver it, but it better be a masterwork. Hopefully we don't have Premier Hudak at that point.

[Diesel_Power]

I actually find the Dundas BRT proposal to be the most intriguing.

I highly doubt the GO trains will be electrified within 25-30 years from now.

They should seriously consider extending the Bloor line to Sherway Gardens. That would take a lot of cars off the Gardiner.

[rbt]

* 33 million new transit trips by 2031

Man, is that a disappointing number.

That's about 100,000 trips per weekday (50,000 new commuters); or roughly 1/4th of what the Bloor/Danforth line carried today.

I would be amazed if the DRL didn't account for 80% or more of that number.

All of that stuff is going to carry 1/20th of the population growth over those 20 years. Woo for us.


TTC ridership in 2012 is about 2.59Million trips per weekday and growing by about 7 million trips per year with virtually no investment at all.

[Da_Beast]

I couldn't have sung it better myself. The DRL i believe is the most important future infrastructure project in Cnada

[ssiguy2]

Without funding and without timetables this is just a wish list on pretty paper for public consumption.

[AndrewJM3D]

Originally Posted by Da_Beast

I couldn't have sung it better myself. The DRL i believe is the most important future infrastructure project in Cnada

Have faith or at least a little hope. Under our next mayor and a more united council with Bedford leading the way our DRL will happen.

[Innsertnamehere]

I'm more concerned about HUdak winning an election before the end of te year and getting rid of the big move than I am about municipal politics. If metrolinx can squeeze out their taxes for transit before he gets in, I feel we will be fine.

[doady]

The Dundas corridor in Mississauga already operates at 4.5 minute frequency, and half of the buses are articulated. There isn't a lot of room for ridership growth with buses here. I think a Dundas BRT is pointless, at least east of Hurontario.

[Gil]

Originally Posted by doady

The Dundas corridor in Mississauga already operates at 4.5 minute frequency, and half of the buses are articulated. There isn't a lot of room for ridership growth with buses here. I think a Dundas BRT is pointless, at least east of Hurontario.

There is the option of running LRT off of Hurontario east along Dundas to Kipling. I think it was a contingency plan for the Hurontario LRT.

[RTL]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I'm more concerned about HUdak winning an election before the end of te year and getting rid of the big move than I am about municipal politics. If metrolinx can squeeze out their taxes for transit before he gets in, I feel we will be fine.

This is a legitimate concern. Hudak could very well put a bullet in the "Big Move." Or at the very least, get rid of the DRL in the planning stage, similar to how Mike Harris got rid of the Eglinton West subway in the construction stage.

[Marcanadian]

Originally Posted by RTL

This is a legitimate concern. Hudak could very well put a bullet in the "Big Move." Or at the very least, get rid of the DRL in the planning stage, similar to how Mike Harris got rid of the Eglinton West subway in the construction stage.

He's fully capable of screwing over Eglinton again.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by Marcanadian

He's fully capable of screwing over Eglinton again.

If he's really ambitious, he could can Sheppard Subway. Political suicide but doable with a strong majority and only wanting a single term.

[spearhead]

So in the paper today, the Rail to Pearson by Simon Kent article says, the UP Express seem to be a promising rail link project. Expected to take 1.2 million car trips off toronto roads and now racing to completion.

[OEincorparated]

Finally! A way of getting Peel car freaks off the roads.