Toronto Transit in Slow Motion

Unreal as it may seem Toronto council is back to fighting over transit priorities in the city. It's unfortunate but we have seen this before. Promises made and then broken. Ideas and plans, with nothing to show for it. The public just wants to get something done. Seems that an end to the Don Valley parking lot, slow travel on Eglinton, lack of efficient transit nodes will continue. Or will it?

An interesting vote will take place shortly and my guess is we will end of with a Sheppard line terminating at Victoria Park, which is what it should have been in the first place if it was not cancelled years ago. We should be honest with the public and stop using the term subways. Many I talk to think that Eglinton Cross-town will be a subway like the Bloor-Danforth. This is not the case. However, my guess is that we will also see the Eglinton Cross-town go above ground. I believe the compromise will be exactly where above ground. Current plans are for a line above ground around Leslie, however I suspect that there maybe a push to have it go to at least past Don Mills Rd. What's unfortunate is why they did not simply consider keeping it above ground to just before Victoria Park and then creating an underground station, similar to St. Clair West or Harbourfont (nothing fancy - even elevated may work). Maybe we just need to cut and cover at certain nodes, providing some underground portions to the line. Talk has been so focused around subways and right-of-ways that there has been no talk about compromise.

Let's look for some of the easy wins, which will allow all involved to have some form of victory. I believe, based on the businesses (box stores really) between Pharmacy and Kennedy, its fine if this portion is a right-away. I think it will add character to the area anyway and allow for a few extra stops. Another compromise would be to elevate some sections, between Don Mills and Pharmacy; keeping the speed of the LRT reliable. We do not need another LRT on Finch West, at the moment, so I will just call that a bit of gravy for now. Lets simply add in a bus-way, seeing that there is an extension to the Spadina line and there will be a Finch West station. Nothing wrong with what York Region did with Viva buses. Lets look for some easy alternatives, utilizing the funds we have and get on with the work! Stop arguing because we certainly have waited in traffic long enough.

By: Chadich Thomas