First Eglinton Crosstown LRT trains are making their way to the tracks

[Charlemagne]

First Eglinton Crosstown LRT trains are making their way to the tracks | Urbanized

The Eglinton Crosstown LRT has been a long time coming, and the first six trains are finally making their way to the freshly-built tracks.

dailyhive.com

 

[xmontrealer]

Sure hope it will be worth the cost in terms of pure construction costs, the businesses that had to close or were severely compromised by the seemingly never-ending construction and disruptions on Eglinton, the multi-year traffic tie-ups both along Eglinton and at the major North-South arteries where they crossed Eglinton, etc., etc., etc.

 

[contact]

Sure hope it will be worth the cost in terms of pure construction costs, the businesses that had to close or were severely compromised by the seemingly never-ending construction and disruptions on Eglinton, the multi-year traffic tie-ups both along Eglinton and at the major North-South arteries where they crossed Eglinton, etc., etc., etc.

don't think so if ridership numbers don't go back to pre covid levels the ttc is going to have to cut service I still believe they should have went with subways

 

[Intrepid416]

Sure hope it will be worth the cost in terms of pure construction costs, the businesses that had to close or were severely compromised by the seemingly never-ending construction and disruptions on Eglinton, the multi-year traffic tie-ups both along Eglinton and at the major North-South arteries where they crossed Eglinton, etc., etc., etc.

There have been very good returns on the condos along the line but it really took the time. Maybe Toronto will learn that things can't be kicked down the road - this line was first cancelled back in the 90s after tunnels had been dug and were then filled in. Many times I take the subway across the Don Valley over the Bloor Viaduct, though, I'm glad that those who designed and paid for the viaduct after 1918 to carry a railway as well thought a bit about the long term. Same may happen 100 years down the road from the opening of the LRT and all of its tunnels...

 

[Mr Deeds]

What makes them different from streetcars

 

[james t kirk]

What makes them different from streetcars

The paint livery.

The Eglinton LRT is just a poorman's subway is all. It should have been constructed as a subway, but instead we got a partially underground glorified street car line. Better than nothing I guess.

 

[contact]

What makes them different from streetcars

Ah street cars they need to go to just use busses when the street car tracks are blocked that’s it can’t detour not to mention power line and track maintenance

 

[Uncharted]

I still believe they should have went with subways

Damn straight.
What kind of idiot thought it was a good idea to build an above ground LRT system in a City that has a winter famous for it's continual thaw freeze cycle, and the damage that does to surface routes. But that is Toronto for you. Always looking at the short term financial picture instead of the Long term.

How many years is it going to be before Eglington will be fucked again from construction doing Track repairs for this stupid LRT system? The numerous cycles of weather induced track repairs alone would have eventually paid off a subway.

 

[Frankfooter]

The paint livery.

The Eglinton LRT is just a poorman's subway is all. It should have been constructed as a subway, but instead we got a partially underground glorified street car line. Better than nothing I guess.

No, the population density doesn't support a subway.

 

[lomotil]

Damn straight.
What kind of idiot thought it was a good idea to build an above ground LRT system in a City that has a winter famous for it's continual thaw freeze cycle, and the damage that does to surface routes. But that is Toronto for you. Always looking at the short term financial picture instead of the Long term.

How many years is it going to be before Eglington will be fucked again from construction doing Track repairs for this stupid LRT system? The numerous cycles of weather induced track repairs alone would have eventually paid off a subway.

The taxpayer underwrites these predictable fuck ups so why would populist politicians immersed in pork barrel politics worry about fiscal responsibility?

 

[james t kirk]

If you want to see what banal looks like, here you will find renderings of what each of the boxes, oops, I mean stations will look like.

Leave it to Toronto to have no concept of building something for the ages.

 

[james t kirk]

No, the population density doesn't support a subway.

Such predictable and limited thinking.

 

[silentkisser]

I think once things return to normal, these line will become quite popular. There are a number of underserved areas along it, and it will eventually connect with the Ontario Line if it ever gets built at, I think, Don Mills?

 

[Frankfooter]

Such predictable and limited thinking.

Yes, its different then the fantasy world of conservatives.
Think it would have been better than the billion dollar Rob Ford subway stop plan?

 

[james t kirk]

Yes, its different then the fantasy world of conservatives.
Think it would have been better than the billion dollar Rob Ford subway stop plan?

Being a builder and a planner and a dreamer has nothing to do with one's political stripes. Again, such linear thinking on your part. I get the distinct impression that you don't know one end of the hammer from the other.

Toronto always seems to take the easy route when it comes to public infrastructure and architecture. We're real good at building to the middle, to the uninspired drab world of the beige minimum standard. Of concrete boxes with spandrel glass built to the design criteria of "cheap cheap cheap." You visit cities in Europe and they build public areas that are beautiful works of art. Something that will last forever as a monument to those that had the guts to leave a mark on the world. John Tory is a good administrator, but that's where it ends. When he's dead and gone no-one will look back on his tenure and say, "wow, John Tory really changed Toronto, look what he built." You can laugh at a guy like Ford, but if nothing else, he was a big dreamer and in my books, that is a great thing to be.

The last example of public anything that was built in Toronto that turned my head was the dog fountain and parkette down on Front Street East. That is an example of something for the ages. Something really cool. Whoever designed that parkette should get a medal for his or her creativity. Something in such short supply in this city.

 

[lomotil]

Yes, its different then the fantasy world of conservatives.
Think it would have been better than the billion dollar Rob Ford subway stop plan?

Wait until the old man winter gets at the new LRT along Eglinton east of Leslie and the resulting delays, malfunctions create traffic and commuter chaos with huge perpetual maintenances bills. A huge fucking white elephant fed by the taxpayer is about to be born. Did the failure of the Scarborough LRT not teach the politicians a lesson?

 

[Frankfooter]

Being a builder and a planner and a dreamer has nothing to do with one's political stripes. Again, such linear thinking on your part. I get the distinct impression that you don't know one end of the hammer from the other.

Toronto always seems to take the easy route when it comes to public infrastructure and architecture. We're real good at building to the middle, to the uninspired drab world of the beige minimum standard. Of concrete boxes with spandrel glass built to the design criteria of "cheap cheap cheap." You visit cities in Europe and they build public areas that are beautiful works of art. Something that will last forever as a monument to those that had the guts to leave a mark on the world. John Tory is a good administrator, but that's where it ends. When he's dead and gone no-one will look back on his tenure and say, "wow, John Tory really changed Toronto, look what he built." You can laugh at a guy like Ford, but if nothing else, he was a big dreamer and in my books, that is a great thing to be.

The last example of public anything that was built in Toronto that turned my head was the dog fountain and parkette down on Front Street East. That is an example of something for the ages. Something really cool. Whoever designed that parkette should get a medal for his or her creativity. Something in such short supply in this city.

Are you really comparing that fountain with a subway?
Do you know how many LRT's there are in Paris, or where they are in place in the EU?

I know the crackhead yelled 'subways, subways, subways' a lot, but that was about lunch.
Cities get a pool of money to spend, they have choices.
Toronto had a choice for a fully funded, city wide transit plan under David Miller but that was cancelled and in exchange we got a $1 billion + bill for a one stop Scarborough subway that I think still has yet to be built.
Oh, we also got a 30 year tax increase to pay for that stop.

LRT's are smart and in place all through the world. Subways are great but way, way more pricey and you need a high density populating to justify spending that much more money.
And for my money, riding along St Clair is way prettier than taking the Bloor line across the city, with the exception of the Don Valley bridge.

 

[eddie kerr]

Sure hope it will be worth the cost in terms of pure construction costs, the businesses that had to close or were severely compromised by the seemingly never-ending construction and disruptions on Eglinton, the multi-year traffic tie-ups both along Eglinton and at the major North-South arteries where they crossed Eglinton, etc., etc., etc.

One thing, it is going to increase the value of properties in the area especially if you live near leaside and there are two huge developments, one is Aspen Ridge, Don Mills and Eg. at the old Celestica location which is now being built and the other is at Eg and Laird at the Cdn. Tire location, consisting of 7 condos, 4 mid rise and 3 highrise, also a large low rise condo now being built on Eg and Brentcliffe called Upper East Leaside Village almost sold out for about $1 million each.

 

[Anbarandy]

What makes them different from streetcars

Plenty.

What makes LRT different than HRT?

Plenty.

 

[Anbarandy]

The paint livery.

The Eglinton LRT is just a poorman's subway is all. It should have been constructed as a subway, but instead we got a partially underground glorified street car line. Better than nothing I guess.

Is it Kirk, is it really?

Why Kirk, why?

Does it make sense to bury a transit line on Eglinton Ave. W. in Etobicoke where the road allowance is as wide as the length of Evergreen container ship, the population density there does not support the viability of spending an extra $2billion to bury it underground and the zoning in the area was/is/ and will always remain strictly single home residential?