Transit Toronto - Weblog

Weekend events affect transit, May 24, 25, 26

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:41:24 -0500

A cultural festival, a parade, several road races and two walkathons to support charitable causes affect transit services this weekend.

The events take place in the Ancaster area of Hamilton, downtown Brampton, downtown Hamilton, the Lindsay area of Kawartha Lakes, Mississauga, the Port Weller area of St. Catharines and downtown Toronto.

Transit- and transportation-related sites are also a feature of the annual Doors Open Toronto, which also takes place this weekend.

Lower Bay Station and other transit sites open doors during Doors Open, May 25, 26

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:10:40 -0500

Several transit-related sites are open to the public Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 26 during Doors Open Toronto, the one weekend, once a year, when 150 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and social significance open their doors to the public for a city-wide celebration.

The City of Toronto program allows visitors free access to look inside properties that are usually not open to the public.

The TTC is participating in the event at just one sites — Lower Bay Station — but other venues that have played significant roles in Toronto’s public transit and transportation history are also opening their doors.

More Highway 427 overnight construction: MiWay detours, May 21, 22

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:53:57 -0500

Ontario Ministry of Transportation contractors continue to work on the project to upgrade Highway 427.

Overnight from 10 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 21 until 6 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, May 22, they’ll be closing the off-ramp for southbound traffic heading toward Burnhamthorpe Road.

MiWay is detouring buses operating along the 11 Westwood route, while the ramp is closed.

Davis Drive rapidway: more construction starts May 21

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:47:22 -0500

Metrolinx and York Region contractors continue the project to build a rapidway — bus-only lanes in the centre of the roadway — along Davis Drive in Newmarket.

Two more phases of the project start this week.

First, as crews continue to work on storm drains west of 200 Davis Drive near Parkside Drive, they can temporarily reopen the plaza entrance from Davis Drive entrance at the Longford Drive traffic lights starting today, Tuesday, May 21. This continues until June 3.

As the crews proceed to work around the area of the property, they may temporarily switch the access point to 200 Davis Drive plaza back to the temporary entrance off Parkside Drive. Signs will be in place to direct traffic and pedestrians

Crews are installing new infrastructure, utilities and preparing the foundation that will extend along the new portion of Parkside Drive to prepare for upcoming work to align Parkside Drive — on the south side of Davis — with Longford Drive — on the north side. The permanent access to 200 Davis Drive will be from Parkside Drive, once the road is re-aligned later this year.

Second, starting today, Tuesday, May 21, for about four weeks, and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. each day, crews will temporarily closing two lanes of traffic on both the north and south sides of Davis Drive as they deliver and install hydro poles at:

Main Street and Davis Drive; and
between Prospect Street and Huron Heights Drive.

Crews will first work on the south side of Davis, moving east from Prospect Street to Roxborough Road. Then, they’ll crews work their way back west on the north side of Davis from Huron Heights Drive to Prospect Street.

If the work affects bus stops or sidewalks, directional signs will guide pedestrians to the nearest available bus stop or sidewalk.

GO Transit passengers riding express buses operating along the 65 Newmarket / Toronto route and York Region Transit passengers riding local buses operating along the 44 Woodspring - Bristol, 50 Queensway, 54 Bayview, 55 / 55B Davis Drive, 58 Mount Albert, 223 Newmarket GO shuttle and 520 / 521 Newmarket community routes should expect detours or delays.

Getting ready for rapidway construction: Highway 7 West, May 21 to 24

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:32:52 -0500

Metrolinx and York Region contractors continue to prepare for building a rapidway — bus-only lanes in the centre of the roadway — along Highway 7 West from west of Jane Street to east of Keele Street.

This week, from Tuesday, May 21 until Friday, May 24 and from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. each day, crews start removing trees between Jane and Keele Streets. They’re removing the trees so they can shortly start relocating utilities, widening the roadway and building retaining walls.

They have to remove about 62 trees of varying health and sizes. Metrolinx says its workers will “make a special effort” to protect 248 reamining trees. It says that once it’s finished the rapidway project, the landscaping will include more than 550 new trees.

During this phase of the work, they’re removing ash, Austrian pine, black locust, buckthorn, Colorado blue spruce, honey locust, ivory silk lilac, Manitoba maple, Norway maple, paper birch, pear and spruce. After construction, Metrolinx intends to install “attractive, pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and extensive landscaping with many types of trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennial flowers”.

Crews will remove trees in sections and chip the wood off-site. They’ll clean up all areas before moving on to the next location.

If necessary, they may temporarily block east- and westbound curb lanes from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Traffic control staff and “paid-duty” York Regional Police officers will be on site to direct motor vehicles and pedestrians.

Wherever possible, sidewalks will remain open. If the work blocks a sidewalk, directional signs will guide pedestrians to the nearest available sidewalk.

Passengers riding York Region Transit buses operating along the 77 Highway 7 / Centre route should expect delays.

"PRESTO Patio" at Danforth GO Station, May 22, 23

Tue, 21 May 2013 05:05:38 -0500

GO Transit is setting up a special “PRESTO Patio” inside Danforth GO Station, Wednesday, May 22 and Thursday, May 23, from 5:30 until 9:30 a.m. and from 2:45 until 6:45 p.m. At the PRESTO Patio, you can learn more about using the PRESTO fare card and ask staff questions about the card.

Metrolinx bridge construction at Ray Avenue: TTC detours start May 21

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:33:03 -0500

The Metrolinx projects to improve the Georgetown South rail corridor and to build the Union - Pearson Express line recently started working on the bridge over Ray Avenue in the Mount Dennis neighbourhood.

During this phase of the project, Metrolinx contractors are widening the bridge to handle more rail traffic. During construction, they’ll maintain pedestrian access at all times.

Starting tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21, the TTC is detouring buses operating along the 71B](#t71b) Runnymede route to accommodate the work.

Lakeshore Road construction: Burlington Transit detours until November

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:23:46 -0500

The City of Burlington is closing

Lakeshore Road between Guelph Line and Martha Street

starting tomorrow, Tuesday, May 21to accommodate a Region of Halton contractors who are working on a project to replace the watermains.

The City of Burlington will follow the watermain work with a project to resurface the roadway and to install a multi-use pathway beside Lakeshore Road between Guelph Line and Torrance Street.

Burlington Transit is detouring buses operating along the 3 Guelph route, to accommodate the work. It’s also setting up a temporary dial-a-ride service to replace regular transit service along Guelph Line and Lakeshore Road, while the street is closed.

Construction and detours continue until November.

Toronto Transit Commission meets, May 24

Mon, 20 May 2013 10:09:18 -0500

*Update — The Commission has also posted a supplementary agenda with items related to the TTC’s lease with Tobmar Investments International Inc. (better known as “Gateway”) to operate the retail newsstands and two cafes in TTC stations. You can read the supplementary agenda here.

The Toronto Transit Commission meets this Friday, May 24 at 1 p.m. in Committee Room 2, Second Floor, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West.

Leslie Barns and Leslie connection track: Public information meeting, May 21

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:14:06 -0500

In March, the City of Toronto and the TTC consulted with residents of the area near the future Leslie Barns maintenance and storage facility for the new streetcars. During that meeting, staff revealed plans for building the structure, the tracks connecting it to Queen Street East and a schedule for construction along Leslie Street.

Since then, staff have also consulted with business owners along Leslie Street and Queen Street East to allow them to comment on the plans.

They’re following up on what they learned the public during that earlier meeting and the later meetings with merchants, by hosting a second public information meeting this Tuesday, May 21. During this event, they’ll discuss how they have revised their plans for building the facility and the tracks and how they’re planning to manage traffic while Leslie Street is closed for construction.

They’ve posted a consultation report here (.pdf). During the Tuesday meeting, staff will explain how they’ve updated the original construction plans and provide more information so that they can finalize a plan the best serves local residents, businesses, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The plan includes strategies to keep transit passengers moving, provide access for cyclists and pedestrians to the Martin Goodman Trail, prevent traffic from moving onto residential streets and keep traffic flowing on major roads.

The City and TTC start major construction Leslie later this month. They’ll be upgrading the streetscape, lighting, sidewalks, sewers, watermains and other utilities. The project includes hundreds of native trees and public art.

The meeting takes place:

Tuesday, May 21
From 6:30 until 9 p.m.
Morse Street Junior Public School
Gymnasiaum
180 Carlaw Avenue
south of Queen Street East

Open house: from 6:30 until 7 p.m.
Presentation and discussion: from 7 until 9 p.m.

"The West Wants In": Western GTA talks transit during summit in Mississauga, May 21

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:27:27 -0500

During the 2013 Western GTA Summit leading municipal politicians and civic leaders discuss the dominant issues facing the more than 1.6 million people living in the Western Greater Toronto Area. The central questions that guide the event are: Are we facing economic gridlock? What can we do to change the way we live, thrive and prosper in the 21st century?

Each of the member municipalities that are participating in the summit share similar challenges around growth, congestion and unemployment. More importantly, each municipality has residents that want a say in the important issues facing their communities and the larger region. To satisfy this desire, the Western GTA Summit will convene the political, business and community leaders of the area and charge them with finding common ground to discuss solutions to these pressing concerns.

The Mississauga Summit is built on three pillars: Live, Move and Thrive. The 2013 Western GTA Summit will address the central question by building on each of these pillars.

Move: How can we address the issues of congestion, and build transit and transportation systems that move our residents quickly, affordably and seamlessly across the GTA? What will our integrated transit, road and air transportation networks look like, and more importantly, how will we pay for them?

Live: Do we need to change the way in which we live and design our communities? What should our future neighbourhood and city growth look like? Do we require changes in zoning, density and urban design, and what about the call for an end to sprawl?

Thrive: Poverty rates remain a serious concern in the GTA, but how we will we fight it? How will we tackle homelessness, precarious employment and the increasing use of food banks? What innovations and employment opportunities will we create for youth, seniors, new immigrants and the working poor to ensure everyone has a chance to thrive?

The keynote speakers will frame the question and provide context to the three themes of live, move and thrive; the panel discussions, including one featuring four mayors, will develop the big question further in a regional context; and the roundtable discussions will enable citizens to discuss the important points that the speakers raised during their keynote speeches.

The Western GTA Summit is free but you must register to attend. To register or find out more information, please visit www.westerngtasummit.ca

The event takes place:

Tuesday, May 21
from 1 until 9 p.m.
Mississauga Convention Centre
75 Derry Road West
Mississauga

Public transit for the future: Who pays? Civic 17 hosts public event, May 21

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:14:57 -0500

Everyone from Kitchener to Newcastle seems to agree that expanding public transit in our region is a pressing need. That’s why Metrolinx developed The Big Move, its regional transportation plan and why it has also consulted with residents throughout the Greater Toronto Area and Hamilton.

However, Civic 17, a public advocacy group in Toronto’s Ward 17, wants to hear what residents of the area think.

They’re hosting a public information event this Tuesday, May 17, to help residents understand how Metrolinx wants to upgrade regional transit and also how it proposes to pay for new transit lines. Should the Ontario Government create new “revenue tools” to fund the new buses, LRTs and subways? Pay for them with taxes? Raise fares?

This event is a chance for Ward 17 residents to hear from experts about the region’s transportation needs, the plans to build transit and the options to pay for it.

Expert Panel:
Dina Graser, Metrolinx
Linda Weichel, CivicAction.
Luca De Franco, TTCriders
Cameron MacLeod, CodeRedTO

Civic17 has also invited several local politicians to share their ideas and position on funding transit, including:

City of Toronto councillor Cesar Palacio;
Member of provincial parliament, Jonah Schein; and
Member of (federal) parliament, Andrew Cash.

The event takes place:
Tuesday, May 21,
from 6 until 8 p.m.,
Dufferin / St. Clair Library
1625 Dufferin Street
(Two blocks south of St. Clair Avenue West)

Civic17 is “a non-partisan, volunteer organization that connects Ward 17 residents to each other and to opportunities to engage in local and city-wide civic issues”.

In the news: Sunday, May 19, 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:14:32 -0500

Greater Toronto and Golden Horseshoe area media report on public transit issues today.

Greater Toronto Area

BlogTO post, “Is Metrolinx replacing enough of the trees it’s cut down?”, here.
BlogTO post, “The past and future of Mount Dennis”, here.
BlogTO post, “Photo of the Day: I can beat you”, here.
CBC News Toronto report, “TTC adds WheelTrans buses as elevator strike continues” here. (May 13)
CodeRedTO.com post, “Spring Public Meetings Roundup”, here.
CodeRedTO.com post, “Ward 17 Event: “Public Transit for the Future: Who Pays?”, here.
Global News Toronto report, “Highway 427 extension will start in 2017, if budget passed: Wynne”, here.
InsideToronto.com editorial, “Transit must be at the forefront of provincial debate”, here.
InsideToronto.com column, “BEYOND THE HEADLINES: Transit debate shows council at its weakest”, here.
InsideToronto.com article, “Metrolinx seeks input on the future of Eglinton”, here.
InsideToronto.com article, “TTC boosts summer service to attractions”, here.
Metro Toronto article, “Mulcair says federal government should have a role in funding for big city transit”, here.
Metro Toronto’s Ford for Toronto post, “City Hall’s very messy transit fight leaves some hope for transit expansion”, here.
Metro Toronto’s Ford for Toronto post, “How Toronto City Council came up $500 million short in transit debate”, here.
Metro Toronto’s Urban Compass Toronto post, “More people should be talking about GO Transit’s Scarborough potential”, here
Ride This Crazy Train post, “DRT Pulse and what it means for Highway 2 GO bus passengers (west of Oshawa)”, here.
Ride This Crazy Train post, “GO adds free WiFi to more GO stations and 60 more parking spaces at Oshawa GO Station”, here.
Ride This Crazy Train post, “I spy with my little eye…”, here.
Ride This Crazy Train post, “Considering this guy rides the train like he’s in his living room, that’s the closest he’ll ever get to an attractive woman”, here.
Ride This Crazy Train post, “I got up and asked the lady on the stairs if she would like to sit and then moved the back pack”, here.
Spacing Toronto post, “City Hall’s transit double negative”, here.
Spacing Toronto post, “HEAD SPACE: Q&A with the TTC’s Chris Upfold”, here.
Spacing Toronto post, “STREET SCENE: View over transit”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Five years, seven goals: Where will the TTC be in 2018”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Metrolinx Announces Design Changes and Public Meetings on Eglinton LRT (Update 7)”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Waterfront West Update (Revised May 15, 2013)”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Spadina Reconstruction News (Updated May 15, 2013)”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Irresponsible Madness at City Hall (Update 2)”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “A Few Delicate Questions About the Scarborough Subway (Updated)”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “Service Continuity on Kingston Road”, here.
Steve Munro’s post, “TTC Meeting Wrapup: April 24, 2013 (Updated)”, here.
The Grid article, “Has the ‘subway Scarborough needs’ already (sort of) been built?”, here.
The Grid article, “Putting the train before the passengers in yet another subway vs. LRT debate”, here.
The Grid article, “Provincial funding is great for the city, but comes with a whole other set of problems”, here.
The Grid’s The Keenan Wire post, “Council transit funding debate: What the hell was that?”, here.
The Grid post, “‘The subway Scarborough deserves’”, here.
Torontoist post, “City Council Debates Transit Funding: Anatomy of a Fiasco”, here.
Torontoist post, “Irresponsible Madness at City Hall”, here.
Torontoist post, “Duly Quoted: Andy Byford on the Future of the TTC”, here.
Torontoist post, “Duly quoted: Karen Stintz on Transit Funding”, her.
Torontoist post, “Ontario Budget: One Small Step For Transit Funding”, here.
Torontoist post, “Historicist: Opposing the Subway”, here.
Torontoist post, “Here’s a Picture of One of the TTC’s New Articulated Buses”, here.
Toronto Life’s Daily Informer post, “Reaction Roundup: council’s petty and ultimately useless transit debate”, here.
Toronto Standard post, “Another Day, Another Council Clusterf*ck on Transit”, here.
Toronto Standard post, “Businesses Bite Back: On Transit Revenue Tools and the Federal Government”, here.
Toronto Star column, “Toronto spits at province over transit debacle”, here.
Toronto Star article, “Eglinton tunnel boring machine still idle”, here.
Toronto Star commentary, “The West (GTA) wants in on regional transit”, here.
Toronto Star article, “Brampton, Mississauga at odds over transit projects”, here.
Toronto Star article, “No taxes without more transit, Ajax-Pickering businesses tell Metrolinx”, here
Toronto Star article, “Highway 427 extension north to Major Mackenzie to be built by 2020”, here.
Toronto Sun article, “Charges withdrawn against TTC union reps in collector theft case”, here.
Town Crier article, “Why we need new cash for transit”, here.
Urban Toronto post, “Finish Line In Sight For TTC’s Pape Station Modernization”, here.
Urban Toronto post, “Photo of the Day: Union Station”, here.
Yonge Street post, “Metrolinx listens to community, reverts to old plan”, here.

Elsewhere in the Greater Golden Horseshoe

CBC News Hamilton article, “City nixes transit-only lane in downtown”, here.
Guelph Mercury article, “Battle gridlock: Guelph mayor”, here.
Guelph Mercury article, “Guelph’s Carden Street to be closed down during Ticat games”, here.
Hamilton Spectator article, “Councillors scrap bus-only lane on King Street”, here.
Hamilton Spectator article, “Status quo ‘no longer option’ to break gridlock: Ontario chamber business CEO”, here.
Hamilton Spectator article, “Fraud ends free bus rides for disabled cane users”, here.
Hamilton Spectator article, “Traffic restrictions due to Lakeshore Road project”, here.
Lindsay Post article, “Consultant to city [of Kawartha Lakes]: Ask for a GO bus”, here.
article, “Trolley’s future up for debate”, here.
Lindsay Post article, “Two companies bid on [Kawartha Lakes] dial-a-ride rural transit”, here.
Lindsay Post article, “Company interested in trolley if it is for sale”, here.
MyKawartha.com article, “[City of Kawartha Lakes] Council awards dial-a-ride tender”, here.
NorthumberlandNews.com article, “New rules for Port Hope taxi operators”, here.
Northumberland Today article, “New [Port Hope] transit hours”, here.
Peterborough Examiner article, “Nicholls Park bus route restored after complaints”, here.
Peterborough Examiner article, “Changes coming to city bus routes, schedules”, here.

"EGLINTONConnects" public workshops: May 27, 28, June 4

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:43:20 -0500

The City of Toronto is working with partner agencies to make sure that neighbourhoods alond and near Eglinton Avenue remain desirable places in which to live, work and play.

One of those partners, Metrolinx, is investing about $6 billion to design and build the Eglinton - Scarborough Crosstown light rail transit line. By 2020, Metrolinx expects trains to be operating along the new line between Weston Road in the west and Kennedy Station in the east.

The City is undertaking EGLINTONConnects, a major planning study to review how the street operates and looks after the LRT is in place. City Planning staff want your ideas on how to design the street, improve the streetscape and encourage a mix of residential and commercial developments and how people get to and from the stations.

The underground portion of the LRT line stretches for 12 kilometres between Black Creek Drive and Brentcliffe Road, resulting in an opportunity to remove some bus and carpool lanes on Eglinton. As part of the EGLINTONConnects study, the City is investigating how best to use this roadway space. This transportation study includes identifying the problems and opportunities, developing and evaluating reasonable alternative solutions and providing opportunities for you to have your say about any plans or proposals.

You can take part in any of three public workshops to provide your comments and ideas. Tell City staff what you think about traveling, greening and building along Eglinton.

At each of the workshops, the display panels and presentation will mostly be the same. However, the each event includes “breakout” sessions or workshops during which you can discuss areas where more intense development may be appropriate.

Let them know your ideas about:

how the City can best use the extra street space to serve all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit and drivers;
how the City can add more public space, trees and vegetation and better connect Eglinton Avenue to nearby parks;
what kind of development should be in the six focus areas; and
how the City should manage the growth of residential, mixed-use, and employment areas.

This round of public consultation includes three events:

the east workshop, focusing on Laird, Don Mills and the Golden Mile;
the central workshop, focusing on Dufferin, Bayview and Laird; and
the western workshop, focusing on Caledonia and Dufferin.

Events take place:

You may drop into any of the events at any time. However, the schedule for each is:

6 p.m.: Display panels and questions and answers with the study team;
6:30 p.m.: Overview presentation; and
from 7 until 9 p.m.: “Breakout” sessions and workshops.

Highway 7 East rapidway construction, May 18 to 24

Sat, 18 May 2013 17:12:39 -0500

Metrolinx and York Region contractors continue to work on the project to build a rapidway — bus-only rapid transit lanes in the centre of the roadway — along Highway 7 East in Markham and Richmond Hill.

Here’s what’s going on this week: