[cplchanb]

I mean this seems reasonable, provided all the testing runs smoothly. The Star article posted seems to suggest potentially an opening in "phases", so perhaps revenue service for part of the line will start in October and the line will full open in November? I am 100% speculating here.

IF they open in phases that would be the greatest irony and embarrassment for ML ever.... verster was adamant on opening everything all at once. imagine if they had planned to open the surface line from the start. we wouldnt be wasting 100s of pages on ML grievances.

 

[smallspy]

The "gradual opening" or "phased opening" in this context is not that the line will open in stages.

What it means is that the line will likely not open in concert with all of the services schedule changes that were originally planned to happen in concert with day 1 of Crosstown service. There will be the same level of bus service on Eglinton as today, but with the LRT running alongside as well.

Dan

 

[A 6264]

The "gradual opening" or "phased opening" in this context is not that the line will open in stages.

What it means is that the line will likely not open in concert with all of the services schedule changes that were originally planned to happen in concert with day 1 of Crosstown service. There will be the same level of bus service on Eglinton as today, but with the LRT running alongside as well.

Dan

If the goal is to try not to open everything on the same day, that's understandable. BUT, I don't know why they can't open the bus bays SOONER than the rest of the station, and put the platforms into use now, for north/south bus routes that will use a new station as an endpoint.

It's like the gripe I posted elsewhere, but I'll put the picture here, about how the BENCHES for the bus stops in front of stations must not go into use until everything else opens. The benches have been there for years, behind a fence, and we CAN'T SIT DOWN. Also note that there's a FIRE HYDRANT inaccessible behind the fence!

 

[bearcat]

If the goal is to try not to open everything on the same day, that's understandable. BUT, I don't know why they can't open the bus bays SOONER than the rest of the station, and put the platforms into use now, for north/south bus routes that will use a new station as an endpoint.

It's like the gripe I posted elsewhere, but I'll put the picture here, about how the BENCHES for the bus stops in front of stations must not go into use until everything else opens. The benches have been there for years, behind a fence, and we CAN'T SIT DOWN. Also note that there's a FIRE HYDRANT inaccessible behind the fence!
View attachment 662140

The benches may look finished but they are not officially "substantially complete" yet .

 

[PL1]

The benches may look finished but they are not officially "substantially complete" yet .

Hmmm.... Are the gaps between the bench slats within the TTC's tolerances?

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

The benches may look finished but they are not officially "substantially complete" yet .

Maybe the benches need to be tested "officially".

 

[H4F33Z]

The benches may look finished but they are not officially "substantially complete" yet .

Last time I heard, these benches will be ripped up and won’t be open to the public for sometime as they don’t conform to the current 2025 Metrolinx Comfort and Seating guidelines .

 

[A 6264]

Last time I heard, these benches will be ripped up and won’t be open to the public for sometime as they don’t conform to the current 2025 Metrolinx Comfort and Seating guidelines .

I just want anything to sit on. Put down a big rock, and I'll sit on that. That reminds me... On the opposite site of the intersection (Don MIlls and Eglinton) there is a planter with a big rock in it, which is to be removed because it's in the way of the forthcoming Ontario Line station, and they don't know what to do with it, so there're going to put it in "storage", permenantly. They could just move it to the opposite corner, and we could sit down on that. This is an old picture, taken in 2014, the surroundings don't look anything like this now. You'd hardly recognize the place.

 

[A 6264]

Last time I heard, these benches will be ripped up and won’t be open to the public for sometime as they don’t conform to the current 2025 Metrolinx Comfort and Seating guidelines .

You mean, they're not uncomfortable enough?

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

If the goal is to try not to open everything on the same day, that's understandable. BUT, I don't know why they can't open the bus bays SOONER than the rest of the station, and put the platforms into use now, for north/south bus routes that will use a new station as an endpoint.

It's like the gripe I posted elsewhere, but I'll put the picture here, about how the BENCHES for the bus stops in front of stations must not go into use until everything else opens. The benches have been there for years, behind a fence, and we CAN'T SIT DOWN. Also note that there's a FIRE HYDRANT inaccessible behind the fence!
View attachment 662140

Guess the fire hydrant must be "officially tested" before allowing access to the fire department could be allowed to use it.

 

[officedweller]

The benches may look finished but they are not officially "substantially complete" yet .

Unfortunately, probably true...
If transfer of title is tied to Substantial Completion, then the contractor retains ownership, liability and responsibility (maintenance and repair) for the benches.

Same for use of the station facilities like the bus bays.

 

[afransen]

Let's fill the tunnel with Metrolinx VPs and call it a day.

There are enough of them.

 

[smallspy]

If the goal is to try not to open everything on the same day, that's understandable. BUT, I don't know why they can't open the bus bays SOONER than the rest of the station, and put the platforms into use now, for north/south bus routes that will use a new station as an endpoint.

It's like the gripe I posted elsewhere, but I'll put the picture here, about how the BENCHES for the bus stops in front of stations must not go into use until everything else opens. The benches have been there for years, behind a fence, and we CAN'T SIT DOWN. Also note that there's a FIRE HYDRANT inaccessible behind the fence!
View attachment 662140

The problem with that idea is that the service levels of the network post-opening are predicated on the reduction of bus service on Eglinton.

Trying to operate the post-opening bus network in concert with all of the existing bus service on Eglinton may either strain the TTC's resources to the breaking point, or may not be possible at all.

Dan

 

[crs1026]

One would think that immediately after opening, there would be a short-term overage of buses which are no longer needed for 32/34 service. Those could simply be parked near Mount Dennis as a reserve. (Some of us remember "rotation car" assignments of PCC air-electric cars after the Line 2 opening).
I wonder what the logistics and cost would be of a partial opening where some trams are run, with buses and operators providing partial service and/or bulking out the spare board in the event of a short or long term closure. The lengthy burn-in plan assumes those bus and operator resources are not available for redeployment in the short term anyways, as the existing service has to be maintained, maybe they can be used more productively by letting some people ride the trams without any service guarantee implied..
Or, simply plan for and announce a correction period of perhaps.a month later in the year where buses return and the LRT is shut down to correct any defects that emerge. Set expectations that the system is iffy and just let whatever happens happen.
At this point, I have to admit that it's getting silly to deny passengers the use of a system that's running most days. The embarrassment in Ottawa was having not gone into commissioning with eyes wide open, and denying the need for fixes.... maybe TTC can be more enlightened.

- Paul

 

[A 6264]

The problem with that idea is that the service levels of the network post-opening are predicated on the reduction of bus service on Eglinton.

Trying to operate the post-opening bus network in concert with all of the existing bus service on Eglinton may either strain the TTC's resources to the breaking point, or may not be possible at all.

Dan

Not trying to disagree so much as clarify...

I was trying to be careful to suggest a minimal change that would not put a strain on bus services, if that's what we're talking about. How about if we limit the idea to diverting the end of any bus route from a current postiton of a bus stop on the street that's right next to a new station, to a bus bay in the station, so this would be no significant change to the route. Not talking about changing the whole system to what it will be in future when the LRT opens, just doing a few routes here and there where it makes virtually no difference.

You might say, well, that creates an extra cost of opening up and operating the station itself. To which I would say, (a) that's a completely different argument, and (b) yes, that's the point, I'm suggesting putting the stations into use ahead of time, partly because it may force the TTC to work a little harder in getting the LRT finished, and partly to phase in the opening by not trying to do everything at once on LRT opening day.

I do realize I'm beating the ol' dead horse, because I'm making a suggestion that would have made more sense to do years ago.

At the same time, when I see that the stations STILL aren't ready to open, because finishing touches are missing, it almost looks as though the TTC finds the whole project so daunting, that they can't bring themselves to finish up the things that they CAN finish now. We can tell that they sort of realize this, because from last spring up to the end of last year, they were running the escalators full time, day and night, at all the new stations, as though the stations were ready to open in a week or so. It was sort of the right idea, if they had applied it to something else, but at the same time, it was an absurd thing to do.