Let Passengers Do Not Block Do Not Block Mind The Gap EXIT first Doorway Doors When Boarding Camera This area is being Video Recorded for Security Purposes The personal information collected by the use of the video equipment at this location is collected under the authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, and the Occupiers Liability Act. Any questions about this collection can be directed to the Co-ordinator, Freedom of Information/Records Management, at 416-393-4000 / 1900 Street, Toronto, ON, M4S 172 / www.ttc.ca Submitted 2012-10-03 LRT and Subways Drivers of City Development Richmond Hill Centre Langstaff Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Centre Highway 407 Clark Steeles Steeles York University Martin Grove Albion Duncanwoods Weston Oakdale Driftwood Sentinel Torresdale Senlac Finchurst Talbot Highway 27 Pearlsdale Milvan Arrow Finch- Cheswood Wilmington Alness Tobermory Alexdon Drewry Finch Malvern Centre Downsview Park Sheppard- Sheppard- North York Centre Bayview Bessarion Leslie Don Mills Consumers Birchmount Kennedy Brimley McCowan Markham Massie Shorting Morningside Breyon Palmdale Pharmacy Bay Mills Midland Brownspring White Haven Murison Neilson Burrows hall Washburn Sheppard Wilson York Mills York Mills Centennial College Markham Rd Yorkdale Ellesmere Midland McCowan Bellamy Martin Grove Eglinton Royal York Weston Scarlett Eglinton Black Creek Caledonia Glencairn Allen Chaplin Avenue Davisville Mount Pleasant Bayview Laird Don Mills Leslie Donway N Donway S Ferrand 5381 Wynford Bermondsey S Lebovic Pharmacy Birchmount Ionview Kennedy Brimley S Scarborough Centre Bellamy Kingston Rd Rathburn St. Clair St. Clair Thorncliffe Park Burnhamthorpe Royal York Old Mill Dupont Spadina Christie St. George Bay Summerhill Rosedale Bloor- Cosburn Greenwood Coxwell Woodbine High Park Runnymede Ossington Lansdowne Sherbourne Broadview Castle Frank Chester Donlands Pape-Danforth Main Street Museum Wellesley Spadina College Queen College Queen Gerrard King King Jarvis Parliament Broadview Exhibition Union
LRT and Subways Page 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION The City of Toronto has longed for rapid transit to serve future development. However, it had become clear that the original, preferred form of rapid transit subways was too costly to justify spending a substantial up-front cost. A new mode of transport, light rail transit (LRT), which shares many benefits with subways at a much lower cost, is the better option to provide new rapid transit services throughout the City of Toronto, facilitating development. Light rail transit is the better option for long-term development, as it will: 1) Substantially increase the catchment area for rapid transit in the City of Toronto 2) Provide redevelopment options for more suburban areas, benefitting the local economy 3) Provide future integration between transit operators. Figure 1.1 Proposed LRT network (Metrolinx, 2012) 2.0 RAPID TRANSIT ACCESS Figure 1.2 Proposed subway network (McGrath, 2011) Light rail transit will provide many more Torontonians with rapid transit. The necessity of buses to access rapid transit has led to dissatisfaction amongst customers (The Grid, 2011). Light rail transit will provide 290,000 people with new rapid transit services, compared to 61000 for an extended subway line (Pembina Institute, 2011). This comes at a cost of $100 million/km for LRT compared to $400 million/km for subways (Pembina Institute, 2011). LRT is a much more prudent use of scarce taxpayer dollars.
LRT and Subways Page 2 3.0 CITY REDEVELOPMENT OPTIONS In the past, LRT systems were essential to establishing city centres. Building cities based on this model would provide pedestrian-friendly areas in more areas of Toronto. This will contribute to the local economy while benefitting new and existing residents. The more frequent LRT stops will create attractive, medium-density developments over high-rise, nodal condominium development at subway stations (Toronto Transit Commission, 2012). The presence of LRT will act as a catalyst for public realms while providing a means for entry and exist, creating a central business district and increasing activity in the local economy. 4.0 FUTURE SYSTEM INTEGRATION Figure 4.1 Potential street design (Region of Waterloo, 2012) The Big Move Plan includes plans for multiple rapid transit routes throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (Metrolinx, 2008). LRT is the most versatile technology for future rapid transit systems. The Region of Waterloo (Region of Waterloo, 2012), City of Mississauga, City of Hamilton (City of Hamilton, 2012), and the Region of York are currently proposing LRT systems, which would be connected with the Toronto system. An integrated rapid transit network will improve the customer environment and reduce costs in the future, while facilitating pedestrian and transit-oriented redevelopment in auto-centric areas. It is unlikely that these areas can absorb the high costs for subway expansion. 5.0 CONCLUSION Light rail transit is only the first step in creating a well-balanced transportation system. Each mode deserves its own place in the overall transit network. There is no universal solution. However, many preventive solutions are worth tabling, such as creating local business districts as to prevent cross-town travel. Metrolinx plans to achieve this through development of mobility hubs, which is an excellent step towards the future of mobility, accessibility and sustainability. Word count: 466 (incl. embedded references). Word count does not include appendices. The appendix section below is purely for further detail and is not necessary for argument s sake.
LRT and Subways Page 3 Appendix A Comparison between LRT and Subways on Sheppard East (Expert Advisory Panel, 2012) Current Issue Description Light Rail Transit solution Subway solution Traffic Delays due to Private right of way Private right of way traffic on roads Bunching See below Longer headway (5 00 ) Longer headway (5 30, Sheppard Subway; 2 29, Subway) Line capacity Bus capacity approximately 825 pphpd. For calculations see 5 minute headways, single car train: 3000 pphpd 5 minute headways, threecar train: 9000 pphpd Sheppard Subway (4 cars): 11000 pphpd subway (6 cars): ~30000 pphpd note below. 2.5 minute headways, three-car train: 18000 pphpd Capital Cost per Construction $75-100 million $300-400 million km costs Fare payment Payment of fare on vehicle or off Fare paid area, payment off-vehicle Fare paid area, payment outside stations Stop spacing Distance between 400 m 1000 m 1 km Passengers served on proposed network Projected passengers served stops Catchment area of passengers on proposed network Projected passengers travelling 290000 people 61000 people 3000 pphpd 4200 pphpd BUNCHING: This is an operational failure where vehicles operating on the same route are in tandem with each other. The TTC considers buses to be on-time if they are within three minutes of their scheduled headway. On routes with headways less than three minutes, it is possible for three buses to bunch while all being on time. This issue is more pronounced when traffic delays happen, as almost all buses fall behind schedule. LINE CAPACITY: Calculations assume a pre-ridership Growth Strategy Orion VII bus capacity of 55 people at a 4 minute headway, 250 people per Metrolinx LRV (based on TTC Legacy Flexity Outlook Streetcar), and 250 people per T1 subway car. Conclusion: light rail transit provides similar options to subway rapid transit at a substantially lower cost while providing capacity and redevelopment options for the future.
Works Cited Introduction to Transportation Systems LRT and Subways Page 4 City of Hamilton. (2012, January 18). Hamilton Rapid Transit. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from Moving Hamilton Forward: http://www.hamiltonrapidtransit.ca/ Expert Advisory Panel. (2012, March 15). Transit on Sheppard Avenue East. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from City of Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/backgroundfile-45908.pdf McGrath, J. M. (2011, March 03). Ford's Transit Plan is Finally Out. Retrieved September 29, 2012, from Toronto Life: http://www.torontolife.com/daily/informer/intransit/2011/03/31/ford%e2%80%99s-transit-plan-is-finally-out-and-mcguinty-wins-the-gettingford-to-compromise-prize/ Metrolinx. (2012, September 20). LRT Map. Retrieved September 23, 2012, from The Crosstown: http://thecrosstown.ca/ Metrolinx. (2008, November 28). The Big Move. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from The Big Move: http://www.metrolinx.com/thebigmove/en/default.aspx Pembina Institute. (2011, January 5). Making Tracks to Torontonians. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from Making Tracks to Torontonians: http://www.pembina.org/pub/2151 Region of Waterloo. (2012). Rapid Transit Photo Gallery. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from Region of Waterloo Rapid Transit: http://rapidtransit.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/multimedialibrary/photogallery.asp The Grid. (2011, July 13). Why we're all pissed at the TTC The Grid TO. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from The Grid Toronto: http://www.thegridto.com/city/politics/why-we%e2%80%99re-allpissed-at-the-ttc/ Toronto Transit Commission. (2012, February 17). Rapid Transit on Sheppard East. Retrieved September 16, 2012, from City of Toronto: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/cc/bgrd/cc20_1_app3_6.pdf