[ARG1]

The rail overpass just over 100 metres to the east of Leslie would have been a problem. This is the Richmond Hill GO line. Metrolinx had decided at one time that they were going to extend the tunnel until at least Don Mills, maybe even as far as Victoria Park if I remember correctly. Metrolinx wanted to skip building a station at Leslie because it would have cost $400 miliion to build a deep station there and not enough people live in the area to justify that expense.. It also meant that Laird would have to be a deep station as well. The people that live in the condos up on the hill weren't too happy about that, so Metrolinx relented.

Metrolinx knows that grade separation at Leslie would have been the preferred solution, but they weren't going to fork out $400 million for a deep station. What we have today is the result.

What I really want to know is why they decided to go with the tracks in the median option. Wouldn't it have been smarter to have the tracks on the southern side of Eglinton, have the station be at Eglinton-Leslie on the south side of the intersection, then go back underground before that ramp thingy east of Leslie?

 

[sixrings]

What I really want to know is why they decided to go with the tracks in the median option. Wouldn't it have been smarter to have the tracks on the southern side of Eglinton, have the station be at Eglinton-Leslie on the south side of the intersection, then go back underground before that ramp thingy east of Leslie?

As an LRT supporter I don't understand this decision either.

 

[robmausser]

What I really want to know is why they decided to go with the tracks in the median option. Wouldn't it have been smarter to have the tracks on the southern side of Eglinton, have the station be at Eglinton-Leslie on the south side of the intersection, then go back underground before that ramp thingy east of Leslie?

Heres why, and ive explained this earlier. The median design was done in 2008ish as a first draft, and there were plans to decide to maybe tunnel or elevate or put to the south side later.

However, in 2010 Rob Ford became mayor and demanded that the Eglinton line be entirely underground. He did this on the provision that ammendments were to be made to this Leslie section, and potentially other areas.

In order to stop this, city council voted to stop the changes, and go to the original design of in-median.

This meant that while Rob Ford was mayor, no changes to the LRT EA or plans could happen because it would mean re-opening the debate to have the line buried or changed drastically.

So we have Leslie as is because in order to get the project to go ahead on time and not allow for a re-opening of the debate of tunnelled vs above ground, the only option was to build the line unaltered.

 

[Amare]

Leslie is yet another (not good) RoFo legacy project.

 

[Voltz]

Heres why, and ive explained this earlier. The median design was done in 2008ish as a first draft, and there were plans to decide to maybe tunnel or elevate or put to the south side later.

However, in 2010 Rob Ford became mayor and demanded that the Eglinton line be entirely underground. He did this on the provision that ammendments were to be made to this Leslie section, and potentially other areas.

In order to stop this, city council voted to stop the changes, and go to the original design of in-median.

This meant that while Rob Ford was mayor, no changes to the LRT EA or plans could happen because it would mean re-opening the debate to have the line buried or changed drastically.

So we have Leslie as is because in order to get the project to go ahead on time and not allow for a re-opening of the debate of tunnelled vs above ground, the only option was to build the line unaltered.

As well. when the decision was made to abandon extending the tunnel to Don Mills, it looked like the PC's were going to win the upcoming election, which would have put the entire line east of Young at risk since there it was not yet awarded for construction.

 

[Rainforest]

Leslie is yet another (not good) RoFo legacy project.

RoFo has nothing to do with this.

After RoFo, Metrolinx was briefly considering a tunnel all the way to Don Mills, and dropping the Leslie station because building it underground would be too expensive and not justified by the ridership forecasts. Some of the locals objected to losing the Leslie station, then Metrolinx backtracked and reverted to the Brentcliffe portal and a surface alignment between Brentcliffe and Don Mills.

The south-of-the-road option was never evaluated, even though it could address all concerns. Reasonable cost, retaining the Leslie station, full grade separation all the way to Don Mills, and no conflict with the Eglinton-to-Leslie left-turning traffic.

Why was it not evaluated? Well, Metrolinx never gave a coherent answer.

 

[Amare]

RoFo has nothing to do with this.

After RoFo, Metrolinx was briefly considering a tunnel all the way to Don Mills, and dropping the Leslie station because building it underground would be too expensive and not justified by the ridership forecasts. Some of the locals objected to losing the Leslie station, then Metrolinx backtracked and reverted to the Brentcliffe portal and a surface alignment between Brentcliffe and Don Mills.

The south-of-the-road option was never evaluated, even though it could address all concerns. Reasonable cost, retaining the Leslie station, full grade separation all the way to Don Mills, and no conflict with the Eglinton-to-Leslie left-turning traffic.

Why was it not evaluated? Well, Metrolinx never gave a coherent answer.

I stand corrected, you did your homework on this file. I just looked into it further and you're certainly right.

 

[Shining Tree]

The rail overpass just over 100 metres to the east of Leslie would have been a problem. This is the Richmond Hill GO line. Metrolinx had decided at one time that they were going to extend the tunnel until at least Don Mills, maybe even as far as Victoria Park if I remember correctly. Metrolinx wanted to skip building a station at Leslie because it would have cost $400 miliion to build a deep station there and not enough people live in the area to justify that expense.. It also meant that Laird would have to be a deep station as well. The people that live in the condos up on the hill weren't too happy about that, so Metrolinx relented.

Metrolinx knows that grade separation at Leslie would have been the preferred solution, but they weren't going to fork out $400 million for a deep station. What we have today is the result.

As stated above, this is not the RH GO.
I don't recall any talk of going underground to Vic Park.
Metrolinx said the Leslie station would add $60M and said it was too much (it seemed a ridiculously low estimate for a deep

Heres why, and ive explained this earlier. The median design was done in 2008ish as a first draft, and there were plans to decide to maybe tunnel or elevate or put to the south side later.

However, in 2010 Rob Ford became mayor and demanded that the Eglinton line be entirely underground. He did this on the provision that ammendments were to be made to this Leslie section, and potentially other areas.

In order to stop this, city council voted to stop the changes, and go to the original design of in-median.

This meant that while Rob Ford was mayor, no changes to the LRT EA or plans could happen because it would mean re-opening the debate to have the line buried or changed drastically.

So we have Leslie as is because in order to get the project to go ahead on time and not allow for a re-opening of the debate of tunnelled vs above ground, the only option was to build the line unaltered.

Exactly. Miller rushed through the 2008 design even though everyone knew in-median through Leslie was wrong. Ford wanted everything grade-separated, so Council had to oppose him - so they voted to just retain the flawed 2008 plans.

 

[smallspy]

Why was it not evaluated? Well, Metrolinx never gave a coherent answer.

It was evaluated, although if you ask me their evaluation was a bit negligent, and so the option was dropped at an early stage.

At the time, their reasoning was that doing so would impact on the interchange-style intersection into the Celestica Lands. Why this was enough of a concern to preclude the rebuilding of that interchange into a standard intersection, I don't know.

Dan

 

[Rainforest]

It was evaluated, although if you ask me their evaluation was a bit negligent, and so the option was dropped at an early stage.

At the time, their reasoning was that doing so would impact on the interchange-style intersection into the Celestica Lands. Why this was enough of a concern to preclude the rebuilding of that interchange into a standard intersection, I don't know.

Dan

Looks like the second half of my earlier statement still stands. "Metrolinx never gave a coherent answer."

But yes, they gave some kind of an answer.

 

[Allandale25]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276232346769989632

 

[Richard White]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276232346769989632

I live near here and I am not surprised. Aviva was in the building as the anchor tenant for years and they left awhile ago (since then the building is mostly vacant). Without the Mandarin there the building with be done for already.

It is a nice corner and this will be a welcome addition.

 

[Amare]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1276232346769989632

Unfortunately, residents will be getting streetcar level service until they reach either Kennedy in the east, or Science Centre in the west. Still much better than the current bus service, but the city is inept and wont let this line operate to its fullest potential.

Another site to watch for development is the Scotiabank campus that's nearby since apparently there's a potential sale/lease back in play.

 

[Jaye101]

It's just as much glass as the TYSSE stations. They just seen to have an one design fit all station on this Line. They reason why they use glass is to create an open and transparent place so people don't lurk behind walls creating a safer environment.

it’s also worth noting that the last rapid transit line in the city that was fully funded by the province took the same approach of a one size fits all for the stations. Line 2 - Bloor Danforth.

 

[Allandale25]

Unfortunately, residents will be getting streetcar level service until they reach either Kennedy in the east, or Science Centre in the west. Still much better than the current bus service, but the city is inept and wont let this line operate to its fullest potential.

Another site to watch for development is the Scotiabank campus that's nearby since apparently there's a potential sale/lease back in play.

"streetcar level service" even though the LRT will operate in dedicated space?