[Smiffy]

I have wondered whether the industry standards for designing functional transit bus interiors are universally bad, or is the TTC just making poor decisions in how they lay out buses.

As someone who has been on YRT busses, they're quite a lot more comfortable, and the stop request system is much easier, compared to those dimly lit signs on the TTC. Also to come into consideration though, YRT's only focus the past few years is having a functional bus system, whereas TTC has been much more focused on on subways and LRTs.

 

[micheal_can]

Well, can we just finish the plans that have been in place? Things like Network 2011, MoveOntario 2020, The Big Move,Transit City, and even the whole Smarttrack?

Imagine what the city and area would be like with just that finished.

 

[ARG1]

If we can't do better than we did with Eglinton, we should stop building transit altogether.

I'm not arguing against subways (I am however advocating for a sensible mix).... but just to be pedantic, I don't recall there being evidence that the LRT part of Line 5 is what has created the delay. That part seems to have come together fairly nicely, its the underground portion that has been problemmatic. And (per subsequent LRT on Finch) LRT construction is beginning to go a lot faster - the local construction industry is developing some depth in how to build LRT. (Ignoring Hurontario, perhaps)

- Paul

I've been repeatedly told by numerous sources that the interface between the surface and underground sections of Line 5 has consistently been a sore spot for testing and a significant contributor to Line 5's delays. Whilst its unfair to say that surface tramways are a problematic part of transit construction, I think its fair to say that all future lines should be single issue. Either build a fully grade separated metro, or you build surface trolley - with maybe short sections of tunnel if needed (such as what we did on Finch West and the Waterfront LRTs). We really shouldn't be building massive hybrid routes such as Eglinton, or what was planned for Jane during the Transit City days.

 

[duffo]

I've been repeatedly told by numerous sources that the interface between the surface and underground sections of Line 5 has consistently been a sore spot for testing and a significant contributor to Line 5's delays. Whilst its unfair to say that surface tramways are a problematic part of transit construction, I think its fair to say that all future lines should be single issue. Either build a fully grade separated metro, or you build surface trolley - with maybe short sections of tunnel if needed (such as what we did on Finch West and the Waterfront LRTs). We really shouldn't be building massive hybrid routes such as Eglinton, or what was planned for Jane during the Transit City days.

That was mostly in reference to the signalling system, no? The system hands off from ATO to ATP at the portal east of Laird. In theory it shouldn't be difficult to have a manually-operated tram run on the surface and then enter and operate within a tunnel, but MX scoped in a higher level of automation only within the tunneled segment and yard. Definitely unclear what the benefit is, when the whole line is bottlenecked by the manually-operated at-grade segment.

 

[ARG1]

That was mostly in reference to the signalling system, no? The system hands off from ATO to ATP at the portal east of Laird. In theory it shouldn't be difficult to have a manually-operated tram run on the surface and then enter and operate within a tunnel, but MX scoped in a higher level of automation only within the tunneled segment and yard. Definitely unclear what the benefit is, when the whole line is bottlenecked by the manually-operated at-grade segment.

The benefit is that we're able to run increased headways in the tunneled section - meaning we can make better use of the billions of dollars we spent on the tunnel. This is why we have the pocket track east of Laird. We probably can't run consistent 90s headways, but 2 or 2.5 minute headways with the short turn should be achievable. That being said its still a half measure, and theoretically had we built a metro - these very same tunnels could support a proper metro with 90s headways and larger vehicles (the Eglinton tunnels are larger than those built for the TYSSE).

 

[micheal_can]

If the line was treated like a subway, or even a regular train line in which the train has priority over road traffic, how does the surface sections cause a problem? Or is that which they should do not being done?

 

[afransen]

I agree humber bay shores is very under serviced by transit

The park lawn go was originally supposed to open by 2025... now they are saying 2032-2035 which is crazy

This is why you don't buy real estate on promises of future transit.

 

[afransen]

The benefit is that we're able to run increased headways in the tunneled section - meaning we can make better use of the billions of dollars we spent on the tunnel. This is why we have the pocket track east of Laird. We probably can't run consistent 90s headways, but 2 or 2.5 minute headways with the short turn should be achievable. That being said its still a half measure, and theoretically had we built a metro - these very same tunnels could support a proper metro with 90s headways and larger vehicles (the Eglinton tunnels are larger than those built for the TYSSE).

We could have saved money by building shorter platforms and smaller station boxes, since equal or higher capacity could have been achieved with shorter, more frequent fully-automated metro trains. Station costs are a main driver of transit costs, and underground station costs are proportional to the volume excavated.

 

[duty free]

TTC Streetcars
Full Separation: All streetcar lines should be separated such that no private vehicles should be allowed on their tracks
Level Boarding: All boarding for streetcar should be from island platforms featuring level boarding (removing stops will make this part cheaper)
Track Switches: All switches should be updated to electronic dual switches to let them maintain speed through intersections

Sure, this would be great, but it even physically possible to do? You have 20 m to work with on most streetcar routes.

What options are there to make it viable?

They can push the streetcars to one side of the road, similar to Cherry St & Queen's Quay, but then most people will tell you that the turn radius makes that impossible (even if streetcars can veer towards the centre of the road before making a tight turn for example at Carlton and Parliament. Still wouldn't leave room for platforms on both sides.

It would be nice, but short of making every street a transit mall I don't see how what you are describing is possible. ROWs where passengers still need to cross live traffic lanes isn't a great option either imo.

One of my ideas would be to give the entire streetcar system the Roncy treatment.

Roncy + if you will.

No ROWs, but bumped out platforms cars can't drive through, so passengers can board safely. Combine that with signal priority, 500 m stop spacing and the pièce de résistance eliminating left turns on all streetcar routes.

This wouldn't be very expensive to implement either. It's just enhanced platforms/stops, activating existing signal priority and some no left turn signs. It wouldn't require tearing up the tracks to rebuild them in ROW.

 

[Cambry Ardship]

I think Metrolinx has a pretty comprehensive pipeline of future projects, between the various Finch/Sheppard/Eglinton subway/LRT extensions. In terms of the city, for me, it's picking up the low-hanging fruit in its operations, particularly the streetcar network. People have made a lot of good comments and suggestions here on that front and for me, it's not about any single one of those, but more a change in attitude to take advantage of what the city has here. I mean, duty free said it as a joke, sure, but making every street with streetcars into a transit mall would be one of the cheapest interventions to boost speed and ridership that the city can make.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

- I think a case can be made for OL West - even the Weston - Dundas West - Roncesvalles - Queen
- I think the city and MX botched the Eglinton East LRT
- The Waterfront West LRT and East Bayfront LRT need to be built asap
- we need more streetcars for Downtown East. I would extend the East Bayfront to Parliment/Bloor

But I don't think any of this will happen.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

I've been repeatedly told by numerous sources that the interface between the surface and underground sections of Line 5 has consistently been a sore spot for testing and a significant contributor to Line 5's delays. Whilst its unfair to say that surface tramways are a problematic part of transit construction, I think its fair to say that all future lines should be single issue. Either build a fully grade separated metro, or you build surface trolley - with maybe short sections of tunnel if needed (such as what we did on Finch West and the Waterfront LRTs). We really shouldn't be building massive hybrid routes such as Eglinton, or what was planned for Jane during the Transit City days.

I agree, completely. I always said we should have just used the current subway spec for Eglinton. Hopefully, the OL and Crosstown are backwards compatible.

 

[Aplus23]

I just want the EELRT and an extended Sheppard subway + OL north & West connection + waterfront lrt into the Portlands & a midtown go line

Also I'd settle for 15min AD2W service on all the go lines. That's a lot but all doable, damn shame this transit renaissance didn't happen decades ago

 

[duty free]

I just want the EELRT and an extended Sheppard subway + OL north & West connection + waterfront lrt into the Portlands & a midtown go line

Also I'd settle for 15min AD2W service on all the go lines. That's a lot but all doable, damn shame this transit renaissance didn't happen decades ago

This is almost definitively the next wave of projects.

Midtown GO is probably a fantasy, but shouldn't be. Everything else should be announced by the end of decade.

 

[Bureaucromancer]

Midtown GO is probably a fantasy, but shouldn't be. Everything else should be announced by the end of decade.

I'm inclined to think that one of midtown or 407 will be coming as well, and have to imagine there's a very real conversation about tradeoffs happening somewhere... Though at the end of the day it's pretty easy to picture a Bramalea - Unionville light metro with Ontario Line branding as a better press release.