[Monarch Butterfly]

According to the last TTC commission meeting, there was a report on the LRT projects (at this link), and there was this little note:

In February 2012, Metrolinx acquired the 58 acre Kodak lands site at Black Creek Drive and Eglinton Avenue West for the Crosstown LRV Maintenance and Storage Facility. The preliminary planning and environmental assessment for the maintenance and storage facility has started. It is expected that the first public consultation for the environmental assessment site will be in fall 2012. Metrolinx has identified this area as the Weston Mobility Hub.

Personally, I would like to name it the Kodak Maintenance and Storage Facility to recognize the Kodak history in the area. Hope that some of the remaining Kodak buildings will remain.

 

[gweed123]

So any update on where the actual western terminus of this line will be? I know the launch site is at Black Creek, but there have been conflicting reports of where the line will actually end in the west. The TTC site says Black Creek, but the Crosstown site says Jane (http://www.thecrosstown.ca/sites/de...nded_system-map1v7-w-stations-stops_web_0.jpg).

Anyone know what the real deal is?

Personally I think the temporary (temporary until it can be extended to Renforth or the Airport) should be at the Georgetown corridor, to at least allow for an intermodal facility to be built there, with connections to the ECLRT, buses, and GO.

 

[Palma]

Considering I see no work being done west of Black Creek it looks like it will not start at Jane St but rather at Black Creek (though that makes no sense since there is nothing there) and I figure it should start at Keele St.

 

[nfitz]

Considering I see no work being done west of Black Creek it looks like it will not start at Jane St but rather at Black Creek (though that makes no sense since there is nothing there) and I figure it should start at Keele St.

They haven't completed the design west of Black Creek yet. The yard is west of Black Creek, so it will have to go at least a short distance past Black Creek, and even past Black Creek Drive.

 

[car4041]

Considering I see no work being done west of Black Creek it looks like it will not start at Jane St but rather at Black Creek (though that makes no sense since there is nothing there) and I figure it should start at Keele St.

That construction doesn't tell us anything -- it's just where the *tunnel* will start. The line is planned to continue west from there on the surface.

 

[gweed123]

They haven't completed the design west of Black Creek yet. The yard is west of Black Creek, so it will have to go at least a short distance past Black Creek, and even past Black Creek Drive.

True, they still have a few years before they have to have the surface design set it stone. I want to see it at least to the rail corridor, but if it goes to Jane I'm not opposed to that.

 

[nfitz]

True, they still have a few years before they have to have the surface design set it stone. I want to see it at least to the rail corridor, but if it goes to Jane I'm not opposed to that.

At the last Metrolinx meeting, they indicated that "Metrolinx staff plan to report back to the Board of Directors at the June meeting on the proposed alignment in the Black Creek area and the western terminus for this phase of the project including a "a grade separation option through the Black Creek area".

So should be set in stone soon.

 

[gweed123]

At the last Metrolinx meeting, they indicated that "Metrolinx staff plan to report back to the Board of Directors at the June meeting on the proposed alignment in the Black Creek area and the western terminus for this phase of the project including a "a grade separation option through the Black Creek area".

So should be set in stone soon.

Glad to hear that they're looking at continuing the grade separation through that area. I would think that the Georgetown corridor station (whatever it ends up being named), would be a good short-turn location for the line, much like Don Mills station will be, especially when the DRL ends there.

 

[BurlOak]

At the last Metrolinx meeting, they indicated that "Metrolinx staff plan to report back to the Board of Directors at the June meeting on the proposed alignment in the Black Creek area and the western terminus for this phase of the project including a "a grade separation option through the Black Creek area".

So should be set in stone soon.

I thought the City Council vote was for the old Transit City proposal. It seems that the following has been (may be) changed already:
1. Terminus at black Creek and not Jane.
2. Oakwood station dropped.
3. Continuous operation from SRT to Eglinton dropped.

How many changes are allowed before Council will say "that is not what we voted for".

 

[nfitz]

I thought the City Council vote was for the old Transit City proposal. It seems that the following has been (may be) changed already:
1. Terminus at black Creek and not Jane.
2. Oakwood station dropped.
3. Continuous operation from SRT to Eglinton dropped.

How many changes are allowed before Council will say "that is not what we voted for".

Number 3 WAS the old Transit City proposal. Number 1 was a huge debate item back in 2009/2010.

I'm quite sure that Metrolinx wouldn't object to the City of Toronto providing additional funding to keep the stations at Jane and Oakwood, if council votes to do that.

The addition/deletion of a station here/there is hardly unusual, we've seen this with other projects ... the addition of Sheppard West to the Spadina line, the deletion of Willowdale from the Sheppard line. The deletion of the station between Lawrence and Yonge from the 1970s Yonge line extension. The deletion of Royal Orchard from the forthcoming Yonge line extension.

 

[BurlOak]

Glad to hear that they're looking at continuing the grade separation through that area. I would think that the Georgetown corridor station (whatever it ends up being named), would be a good short-turn location for the line, much like Don Mills station will be, especially when the DRL ends there.

If you want to short-turn at Georgetown GO (or even Jane when that LRT gets built), it should be at-grade median at or East of Keele. It may be a bit late for that, but at least they could still have a short at-grade median section East of the Rail line.

Of course if you want to short-turn at Don Mills the at-grade median section would start at Brentcliffe or some other location West of Don Mills.

 

[gweed123]

If you want to short-turn at Georgetown GO (or even Jane when that LRT gets built), it should be at-grade median at or East of Keele. It may be a bit late for that, but at least they could still have a short at-grade median section East of the Rail line.

Of course if you want to short-turn at Don Mills the at-grade median section would start at Brentcliffe or some other location West of Don Mills.

In-median seriously restricts the type of station that you can build though. Transfer stations will need to have a much higher capacity than a simple in-median station. This is one of the reasons why Don Mills station is going to be underground (even without the DRL, it's still going to be a major transfer station).

I'd much rather see the Black Creek-Eglinton station underground, that way it can be placed wherever and designed however it needs to be in order to ensure a smooth transfer between the services there. I can see an in-median station just being a dogs breakfast at rush hour if GO REX is ever implemented.

 

[Markster]

I'm exceedingly disappointed that they are dropping through-routing of Eglinton and the SRT.

As Steve Munroe said:

Recently Metrolinx confirmed that the scheme to through-route Scarborough and Eglinton trains had been dropped from their plans due to an inbalance in projected demand for the two lines and concerns about service reliability. Aside from what this may say about the TTC’s hopes for operating surface LRT in street medians, this also triggers a change in the operation of the revised Kennedy Station.

A new design will be presented for public comment in fall 2012.

And lower in the comments:

Steve: The other issue is train length. If the “SRT” has to run with three-car trains for capacity, and Eglinton runs with two-car trains, I can just hear the TTC wailing that it will be confusing for passengers. People would queue on the platform expecting a three-car train, but only a two-car train would show up.

However, the TTC seems dead set against through running and has taken this attitude for quite some time (back into the Miller / Transit City era).

As for whether it will ever be an option in the future?

Until we see the revised design for Kennedy, we won’t know whether they have retained an easy method to through route Eglinton with the SRT or with a future Scarborough-Malvern line (the Eglinton route east from Kennedy to Morningside).

A big giant question.

Frankly, through routing of both the SRT and the Scarborough-Malvern line with the Eglinton line seems to be incredibly logical, and a relatively simple 3 track station layout would work. However, I'm sure that this would be unacceptable, and they will build a facility that locks in the existing operation.

 

[M II A II R II K]

If only they'd drop stations on the surface sections.

 

[sixrings]

If they are going to start dropping important stations like oakwood and chaplain then they better start chopping a bunch of these useless surface stations as well. Btw blackcreek does not need a station - WESTON does!!