Don Mills LRT | EA | 17.6 km | $675 Million | Former Toronto & North York

[Jaye101]

...

[Jaye101]

October 2008 Update

Don Mills LRT

Feasibility studies have been completed for the Don Mills LRT from Steeles Avenue to the Bloor-Danforth Subway. Five public meetings have been held during June, July, and September, including one held in Don Mills Station. TTC and City staff are currently developing and assessing alignment options for the south end of the line, south of the Leaside Bridge, where the available right-of-way is limited on all the north-south roads.

Other current project tasks include:

• a special study of the connection between this LRT and the Sheppard LRT and Sheppard Subway, including access to planned maintenance facilities;

• a special study of the intersection of this LRT with the Eglinton-Crosstown LRT, with a focus on the feasibility of this intersection being at grade;

• structural assessment of the Leaside Bridge, as well as six other structures along the route, and means by which these can be strengthened;

• property and construction implications of alignment options on Pape, Donlands, or Broadview Avenues; and

• design work for a terminal at Steeles Avenue.

The Region of York and Town of Markham have requested that the EA for Don Mills also address a possible extension of this LRT north to Highway 7/Major Mackenzie Road, and the team will be working with York Region to ensure all design options protect for such an extension.

The Don Mills LRT EA will be completed under the new streamlined Transit Project Assessment Regulation.

The next series of public meetings are planned for October/November 2008. The EA will be completed and presented to Commission and Council in early 2009.

Source: http://www.ttc.ca/postings/gso-comrp...tober_2008.pdf

[Sixrings]

couldnt places like don mills which have three lanes get a bus rapid transit for far cheaper. just make a lane where ONLY Buses taxis and 911 vehicles can drive. Then save the money and distibute it to higher needs like a queen line or an eglinton line...

Personally If it were me Id make the underground part of Eglinton a subway and then the rest of eglinton that is three lanes a BRT. But thats just me.

[Homer J. Simpson]

^Well the Don Mills LRT is like 15th on the priority list so....

[Sixrings]

i read that homer thats why i was coming up with a cheap alternative.... paint a few lines make some signs "anyone in these lines who are not taxis bus or 991 HUGE fine" and you have a simple BRT. Its cheap and it encourages public transit.

[Homer J. Simpson]

^I'm not saying it is a bad idea in any way.

I will state though that I have never been a fan of BRT.

It would be a good interim solution.

The big plus that would make the DM LRT important is that it would be another arm of the network. It could also become the suburban eastern portion of a Downtown Relief LRT.

[Sixrings]

I hate buses to be honest. But its cheap and at least it could get done relatively quickly. If the LRt is really 15th on the list then its not going to happen financially. But that doesnt mean that there shouldnt be anything done. Instead lets make a cheap alternative, that encourages public transit and keeps the discusion on the table instead of forgetting it completly.

[Homer J. Simpson]

^True.

Being 15th or lower does not mean it won't happen at all, it will just begin later on in the process. The biggest threat is that other routes will need upgrading first that are not on the radar yet.

There are commuter lanes on Don Mills already so in theory all they would need to do is put some express buses on during peak hours.

[kettal]

Originally Posted by Sixrings

i read that homer thats why i was coming up with a cheap alternative.... paint a few lines make some signs "anyone in these lines who are not taxis bus or 991 HUGE fine" and you have a simple BRT. Its cheap and it encourages public transit.

It's already like that on Don Mills...

[Jaye101]

Yeah man, this is only a step further in the right direction.

[kettal]

Personally I think Don Mills LRT should be given a priority if only because it provides the desperately needed alternative for Yonge subway.

If Yonge gets extended before Don Mills opens and Richmond Hill GO gets all day service, we're screwed.

[TRZ]

Originally Posted by kettal

Personally I think Don Mills LRT should be given a priority if only because it provides the desperately needed alternative for Yonge subway.

If Yonge gets extended before Don Mills opens and Richmond Hill GO gets all day service, we're screwed.

It should be noted that Yonge south of Bloor will be screwed regardless of the Don Mills LRT.

I use the Don Mills bus in my commute right now. I go in reverse-peak directons on the 25D (that's the one that crosses Steeles), and it is busy. There is strong bi-directional traffic on this line, and the service upto Steeles has great frequency, unless there's heavy bunching of course. It should be noted that BRT can't really do much about the bunching because the buses have capacity limitations. LRT however, can moderate bunching better by coupling vehicles when demand is high.

[taal]

Yea I always notice a lot of bunching on that route ... less then Finch west and a couple others though. Can't they just spread out some more? : - )

I agree with your comment though, a couple of these routes have heavy bi-directional traffic ... I wouldn't say North of Steeles though (maybe except for Don mills) But Warden for example is very busy going North (to steeles) as well as south.

[lvan]

Originally Posted by TRZ

It should be noted that Yonge south of Bloor will be screwed regardless of the Don Mills LRT.

I use the Don Mills bus in my commute right now. I go in reverse-peak directons on the 25D (that's the one that crosses Steeles), and it is busy. There is strong bi-directional traffic on this line, and the service upto Steeles has great frequency, unless there's heavy bunching of course. It should be noted that BRT can't really do much about the bunching because the buses have capacity limitations. LRT however, can moderate bunching better by coupling vehicles when demand is high.

That is a very fair overview. Try waiting for 25 northbound during the peak rush hour..... You may have to let 3 busses easly before you can get one that has some space fo you to get on.

[taal]

The 25D ???

I used to take this all the time. Yes, I had to wait for a long time until a bus showed up ... but this is just fact if you look at the TTC website you can see they only operate them every so often.

But I've never had to let some pass me, for that matter I've usually always managed to get a seat ... pretty much every day I used it. That is when I wait at Steeles and Don Mills to go North, just to make it clear.

You've weren't able to even get on the bus / let alone find a seat?

[TRZ]

Originally Posted by taal

The 25D ???

I used to take this all the time. Yes, I had to wait for a long time until a bus showed up ... but this is just fact if you look at the TTC website you can see they only operate them every so often.

But I've never had to let some pass me, for that matter I've usually always managed to get a seat ... pretty much every day I used it. That is when I wait at Steeles and Don Mills to go North, just to make it clear.

You've weren't able to even get on the bus / let alone find a seat?

If boarding from Don Mills subway station, sometimes you can't get a seat. However, lots of people get off at Finch and also at Steeles southside stop, by which point I've usually been able to grab a seat. Even still, lots of people are still standing, even after crossing Steeles (this at around 7:30-8:00am). South of Finch is especially packed.

On a separate note, I've noticed that 7:00-7:30am runs of the 123 Shorncliffe, FROM and heading WEST/SOUTH of Kipling station (i.e. reverse peak) is also packed. This is through an industrial area.