coordinated transit planning in toronto

Coordinated Transit Planning in Toronto

Public Information SessionMay 31, 2016

Transportation Planning Section | City Planning DivisionToronto Transit Commission

SmartTrack | Eglinton West LRT | Eglinton East LRTScarborough Subway Extension | Relief Line | Waterfront

Transit

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Today’s Agenda1. Overview of our coordinated approach

2. Overview: Update of transit initiatives underway

3. Update: Scarborough Subway Extension

4. Update: Eglinton East LRT

5. Next Steps

6. Questions

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Today’s Agenda1. Overview of our coordinated approach 2. Overview: Update of Transit initiatives underway



5. Next Steps

6. Questions

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Our Coordinated ApproachThe City, TTC and Metrolinx, are working together on integrated transit planning within Toronto• Rapid transit projects

underway:− Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension

(TYSSE)− Eglinton Crosstown LRT− Finch West LRT− Sheppard East LRT

• Rapid transit planning underway:− SmartTrack / GO RER integration− Eglinton West LRT− Scarborough Subway Extension− Eglinton East LRT− Relief Line− Waterfront Transit “Reset”

• The next round of rapid transit priorities will be identified through completion of the Feeling Congested? initiative and will result in transit policies and long term network plan in the Official Plan.

Scarborough Optimized Transit

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Our Coordinated Approach

Scarborough Optimized Transit

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What guides the analysis of transit projects?The evaluation criteria being used for each transit project are based on principles and criteria developed during the Official Plan Review process “Feeling Congested?”

SERVING PEOPLE

STRENGTHENING PLACES

SUPPORTING PROSPERITY

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2. Update of transit initiatives underway 3. Update: Scarborough Subway Extension


5. Next Steps

6. Questions

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Feb 2016

•City, in partnership with TTC, worked with Metrolinx on the integration of SmartTrack and GO/RER•Four (4) options for SmartTrack/GO RER were assessed. •Options A and B were ruled out due to increased costs and significant community impacts.

Mar 2016

•Council directed staff to focus work on options C and D

May/June 2016

•Public consultation on SmartTrack and RER Integration•Report to Executive Committee and Council on evaluation progress

Next Steps

•Continue collaboration with Metrolinx on development of preferred alignment and station locations for SmartTrack Options C and D

SmartTrack /GO RERSmartTrack Option C

• 7 to 8 new stations• Kitchener and Stouffville

through service

SmartTrack Option D

• 4 to 5 new stations• Kitchener and Stouffville

through service

SmartTrack/GO RER will help relieve many of the transit network’s capacity limitations, which currently affect many parts of the City, including the subways serving Downtown, the SRT in Scarborough, streetcar routes east and west of the downtown and individual bus routes throughout the City.Particularly, it will help relieve overcrowding on the Yonge Subway line and address congestion at Bloor-Yonge station.

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Jan 2016

• Feasibility study of SmartTrack Western Corridor options recommends optimizing Phase 2 of the Crosstown LRT, approved in 2009

Mar 2016

• City Council direct staff to remove the heavy rail option and work with Metrolinx to optimize the approved Environmental Assessment for Eglinton West LRT

•Six (6) options assessed for further considerationMay/June 2016

• Public consultation on emerging preferred LRT alignment and station locations

SmartTrack – Eglinton West Corridor

Next Steps• Continue to work with

Metrolinx to optimize the approved Environmental Assessment for Eglinton West LRT

• Develop Business Case

Part of the SmartTrack concept is connecting the Mississauga Airport Corporate Centre (MACC) to other important employment districts, including downtown Toronto. A western extension of the Crosstown LRT to MACC and Pearson International Airport would improve access to these important destinations.

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Fall 2015 - Winter 2016

Pape to Queen corridor emerges as preferred corridor due to engineering feasibility and ease, connection to key destinations and ability to meet largest number of city-building objectives (i.e. Feeling Congested? Evaluation Criteria)

March 2016 City Council approves preferred corridor for Relief Line: Pape to Downtown via Queen/Richmond.

Mar-May 2016 Analysis of alignment options.

Relief Line - Update

Emerging preferred alignment ‘Pape to Downtown via Eastern’

• Allows direct connection to Yonge-University Line

• Supports development • Better supports Feeling Congested? criteriaNext Steps

July 2016: Report to Council, Seek authority to launch TPAP (EA)

Summer 2016: Initiate TPAP

The Relief Line would be a new subway connecting downtown to Line 2 east of the Don River. It would assist in relieving crowding on the Yonge Subway line and the Bloor-Yonge interchange station as well as provide riders with more travel options.

Waterfront Transit “Reset” - UpdateThe Waterfront Reset will:Provide high quality transit that will integrate waterfront communities, jobs, and destinations and link the waterfront to the broader City and regional transportation network

Phase 2, subject to City Council approval, would consider: Advancing feasibility studies (including but not limited to demand forecasting, operational

assessment(s), further developed cost estimates); Potential Environmental Assessment(s) or amendments to existing Environmental Assessment(s); Pursuing the implementation of short term strategic improvements that minimize long term

throwaway costs; and Advancing a Business Case and pursuing funding opportunities.

Phase 1 will identify reasonable alternative concepts for a waterfront transit solution.

Findings will be reported to Council in July, including:

• Development and analysis of ‘Concept Families’

• Preliminary evaluation of solutions to create a complete transit network solution for the Waterfront

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2. Overview: Update of Transit initiatives underway

3. Update: Scarborough Subway Extension4. Update: Eglinton East LRT

5. Next Steps

6. Questions

Scarborough Subway Extension Background• Line 3 (SRT) opened in 1985 and is approaching the end of

its normal lifespan.• City Council confirmed support for the extension of the

Bloor-Danforth Subway in October, 2013– Extension from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue East

• The Scarborough Subway Project Assessment was launched in December 2014

• To guide development of the project– 10 public meetings were held – Stakeholder Advisory Group was formed

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Scarborough Subway Extension Background• Nine potential corridors

were identified and evaluated

• Comprehensive evaluation included:

– Key destinations served– Transit network connections– Development potential around

stations– Impacts to natural environment

and sensitive areas– Preliminary costs– Projected travel time– Property impacts

14Potential Corridors

Scarborough Subway Extension Background

• 3 Options were short-listed:– Midland– McCowan– Bellamy

• In June 2015, McCowan corridor emerging as preferred based on– Distance from SmartTrack– Lawrence East Station

location– Cost

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Short List of Corridor Options

Scarborough Subway Extension BackgroundSince 2013 there had been significant changes to related transit projects that impact the Scarborough Subway Extension:

– Introduction of SmartTrack– Introduction of GO Regional

Express Rail (RER)– Sheppard East LRT pause

These changes presented opportunities to better address the transit needs of Scarborough residents

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Changes to Scarborough Transit

Scarborough Subway Extension Background

In January 2016, Toronto’s Executive Committee endorsed refined priorities for transit in Scarborough:

1. Support the development of Scarborough Centre as a vibrant urban node

2. Support the development of complete communities along the Avenues and improve local accessibility

To address these transit priorities, City Council provided direction on an optimized transit plan for Scarborough on March 31, 2016

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Scarborough Subway Extension Optimizing the Extension

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To support the transit priorities for Scarborough, optimizing the subway extension into an express subway includes:

• Removing Lawrence Station between Kennedy Station and Scarborough Centre;

• Ending at Scarborough Centre rather than Sheppard Avenue East; and

• Re-routing buses to the potential Lawrence East SmartTrack station and Kennedy Station

These changes to the Scarborough Subway Extension would result in a significant reduction in construction and operating cost with only a small reduction in transit accessibility

Scarborough Subway Extension Work to date

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• Alignment options for an express subway extension have been studied

• Station concepts for Scarborough Centre including bus terminals and other elements are being developed

• Cost estimates (ongoing)• Modelling

– Accessibility– Travel demand

Optimized Concept

Scarborough Subway Extension Alignment Re-evaluation

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• Express subway extension alignment has been re-evaluated due to shift in project parameters

• Corridor options for express subway:

– SRT corridor– Midland Corridor– Brimley Corridor– McCowan Corridor

• Evaluation focusing on:– Supporting growth of Scarborough

Centre (including potential future extensions)

– The impact of SRT closure– Property Impacts– Costs Possible Express Subway Corridors

Scarborough Subway Extension SRT Closure

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• If SRT was closed, service would be replaced by buses

• Replacement would be for duration of subway construction, estimated at 5-6 years

• 63 buses, temporary bus terminals and storage would be required

• Buses would stop at Lawrence Avenue

• Average delay for transit riders would be 6.4 minutes/trip

Replacement Buses During SRT Closure

Scarborough Subway Extension Preferred Corridor - McCowan

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The feedback and technical analysis support McCowan as the preferred corridor:• SRT remains operational during

construction• Received strong public support• Least constructability/

infrastructure impacts = reduces risks to costs

• Connection across both sides of Scarborough Centre with one station

Preferred Express Subway Corridor

Scarborough Subway Extension Emerging Results

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• The subway extension will: • Provide enhanced rapid transit

service to support Scarborough Centre as a vibrant urban node

• Improve travel time to Kennedy Mobility Hub and eliminate transfer

• Increase transit system ridership by at least 4,500 – new riders who don’t ride transit today

Preferred Express Subway Corridor

Scarborough Subway ExtensionTravel Demand in 2031

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Express subway extension compared with other TTC subway terminus stations

AM Peak Hour Boardings All day BoardingsFinch Station 16,500 59,700Scarborough Centre

7,300 31,000

Kipling 6,000 27,000

• Scarborough Centre Station is expected to perform well and serve a comparable number of riders to other terminal stations

• Note: Finch Station serves too many riders – resulting in overcrowding further down the line

Travel demand modelling assumes SmartTrack Option C

Scarborough Subway ExtensionTravel Demand in 2031

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Comparing ridership between 3-stop and Express:Peak hour ridership

(Westbound, East of Kennedy)

Peak Hour Opposite Direction Ridership

(Eastbound, east of Kennedy)

New Transit Riders

Express Subway Extension

7,300 2,900 4,500

3-stop Subway Extension

11,100* 3,200 3,100

* Note: Peak hour ridership reported in March, 2016 (approximately 14,000) assumed no SmartTrack

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4. Update: Eglinton East LRT5. Next Steps

6. Questions

Eglinton East LRT Background

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• On September 30, 2009, Toronto City Council approved the recommendations of the Scarborough-Malvern LRT Environmental Assessment

• In January, 2016, Executive Committee endorsed refined transit priorities reintroducing the Eglinton East LRT • LRT would serve Avenues and Neighbourhood Improvement Areas in

Scarborough, and University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

• In March, 2016, City Council provided direction on the optimized Scarborough transit plan, including further study of Eglinton East LRT

Eglinton East LRTProject Detail

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Typical mid-block cross-section(Source: SMLRT EA 2009)

Mid-block cross-section Morningside Avenue

(Source: SMLRT EA 2009)

Eglinton East LRTProject Detail

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• Based on 2009-approved Scarborough-Malvern LRT Environmental Assessment:• 18 stops over 11km line• Improved reliability• 2 connections to GO / RER (Eglinton & Guildwood)

• The Eglinton East LRT would:• Provide rapid transit stations within walking distance of

41,500 people• Provide direct access to 7800 jobs• Provide improved access to 26,000 residents of

Neighbourhood Improvement Areas

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Eglinton East LRTIntegration with University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC)

Source: University of Toronto Scarborough Campus

UTSC Master Plan (2011) envisions re-alignment of Military Trail

Environmental Assessment will be updated to reflect realignment of Military Trail and LRT

Eglinton East LRTAmending the EA• Connection to Kennedy Station• New terminus station at Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre• Realignment of Military Trail• Service integration with Eglinton Crosstown, including 2- or

3- car trains, platform lengths• Storage requirements

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onEglinton East LRTTravel Demand in 2041

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Based on travel demand models, the Eglinton East LRT would carry 43,400 riders all day in 2041

Eastbound (AM Peak Hour)Westbound (AM Peak Hour)

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5. Next Steps 6. Questions

Next Steps

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May/June 2016 • Public and stakeholder consultations• Continue to refine technical work and business

cases on current transit initiativesJune/July 2016 • Report to Executive Committee and Council

‒ Report on full range of transit projects, seeking authority for next steps (including TPAPs and technical analyses)

Summer/Fall 2016

• Further technical work

Winter 2017 • Undertake Feeling Congested? review for priority projects

• Report to Executive Committee and Council on transit project prioritization

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5. Next Steps

6. Questions