Five new streetcars on King line

I hosted a transit forum on August 16 and invited TTC Chair Adam Giambrone,  Go Transit Managing Director Gary McNeil and Keith Brooks from the Clean (electric) Train Coalition. Many  residents attended to share their ideas and here are the results.

1. More King Streetcar service during rush hour:

TTC Chair Adam Giambrone announced the addition of five extra streetcars to the King Streetcar route during rush hour. This additional service will start on September 7, after Labour Day. The King Street line is the busiest route in Toronto with 54, 000 passengers daily.

2. New streetcars on order, to be delivered in just over a year:

By the end of 2011, Toronto will receive the delivery of new, made in Canada, accessible and air-conditioned streetcars. They will replace the old streetcars and will double the capacity of passengers on lines like King, Queen, Dundas, and Bathurst.

Why the wait for these new streetcars? The TTC was negotiating the funding to buy these cars with the federal government. After many months of fruitless negotiations (where John Baird infamously told Toronto to take a hike), the TTC finally paid the federal portion and ordered these desperately needed new streetcars.

3. New Subway cars coming in a few weeks:

New subway cars will be delivered within a few weeks. The funding for these subways came from Jack Layton’s agreement with the previous minority government.  The order was approved when Olivia was the vice chair of the TTC five years ago.

4. Action to stop illegal bus idling on Douro still to come:

The 504 King replacement bus (created due to construction) will stop in the late fall and recommence in the spring of 2011. Following concerns raised by constituents about bus idling/parking on Douro Avenue, Mr. Giambrone flagged this issue and a supervisory staff will be conducting a physical inspection.

5. When is the next streetcar/bus coming?

You can check out www.nextbus.com/wireless/miniRoute.shtml?a=ttc for the next available bus or text the 5-digit Stop Number to the 6 digit Short Code 898882 (TXTTTC)

6. What is happening to the Union/Pearson air rail link?

Gary McNeil, Executive Vice President, Metrolinx and Managing Director, GO Transit provided residents an update on the Georgetown South Project and the Air Link from Union Station to Pearson International Airport and its impacts on Liberty Village and surrounding areas.

Construction:

The Strachan Avenue Overpass will include the rail corridor to be lowered 5 metres and Strachan Avenue will be raised 4 metres. Construction will begin in November 2010 (with major construction starting in Spring/Summer 2011) until 2014. The air rail link is expected to be completed by 2015 in time for the Pan Am Games.

Construction will occur between the hours of 8 am and 7 pm and will attempt to avoid weekend disruptions. Construction will be augured which will create less noise.

Metrolinx Go Transit Community Office will be opening in mid September and is located at 901 King Street West (corner of Strachan Ave, and King St. W).  The construction schedule will be updated monthly on the website: http://www.gotransit.com/gts/en/default.aspx

The bridge widening at Queen Street will involve adding new spans adjacent to the existing one to accommodate two new tracks. Construction will begin September 2010 and will be completed by April 2011.

GO Transit has committed to a consultation to minimize the construction’s impact on residents.

7. Why diesel trains and not electric ones?

Keith Brooks from the Clean Train Coalition spoke in support of the electrification of the rail line. The use of diesel is known to have health and environmental impacts including links to cancer and respiratory diseases. The Clean Train Coalition is urging Metrolinx to commit to electrification now by ensuring that the Air Rail Link to be electrified from the outset and no further expenditure on diesel technology. The Clean Train Coalition has 17, 000 signatures in support of electrification, the petition can be found online at: http://www.cleantrain.ca/petition.php.

Instead of electric trains, Metrolinx Go Transit will be moving to multiple unit Tier 4 diesel technology which is projected to reduce emissions of airborne particulates by 90% and nitrogen oxides by 80%. Metrolinx is currently conducting a study of the cost/benefit, environmental impacts, carbon footprint and human health impacts which will be completed by 2010.

8. More federal and provincial transit funding needed:

Olivia Chow and the NDP urge the federal government to support public transit by giving municipalities stable, long-term funding by transferring an extra cent of the existing gas tax to public transit, which will generate over $80 million annually. MPP Rosario Marchese added that Toronto lags far behind other urban centres as the only OECD country that does not fund public transit and that the provincial government must commit to electrification. 

Please stay connected on public transit issues by visiting www.oliviachow.ca and signing up for our e-newsletter.

Read more posts about: , , , , ,