Metrolinx White Papers

Note: I’ve removed the maps, as the Metrolinx board has decided to update these papers and re-release them in two weeks in order to include several more test cases.  Therefore, the information in this post should be considered a draft version.  I will do an updated new post when the new papers are available, presumably next week.  I will also postpone more detailed analysis until after the updated papers are available.

Draft versions of the Metrolinx white papers are now available:

Paper 1: http://www.metrolinx.com/docs/1/Board/Apr2…_Appendix_A.pdf
Paper 2: http://www.metrolinx.com/docs/1/Board/Apr2…_Appendix_B.pdf

Some caveats: These are not approved by the board yet and in particular, lack the final formatting that will be applied over the next few weeks.

Paper 1 is interesting, but dry, as it’s a summary of principles and vision. Basically, it sets out the specific goals to be addressed by the regional transportation plan. These are mostly the sorts of things you would expect to see addressed.

Paper 2 is utterly fascinating, in that it sets out a series of specific policy directions to be considered, and sets out a series of three test concepts for transportation systems called linear, radial, and web.

At this point, these proposals are for discussion, rather than specific recommended routes. Recommendations will come in June with the draft RTP, so these should not be taken as commitments on the part of Metrolinx. Still, it’s interesting and instructive to take a closer look.

• Test Concept A – Linear consists of the the MoveOntario 2020 projects, Regional Express service along the Lakeshore line, extension of the Scarborough RT to Malton, and several LRT/BRT lines.
• Test Concept B – Radial adds to that regional express on multiple lines to Union Station, an Eglinton subway line, and an extension of the Sheppard subway, and further increases in the BRT/LRT network
• Test Concept C – Web adds 401 and 407 east-west corridors to Regional Rail, and further subway, LRT, and BRT extensions.

There are maps of all three visions near the back of Paper 2, and I’ve shown them below.

The following summarizes items shown in Concept C – Web, with items affecting Durham shown in red. For a list of items in the other concepts, please see the full draft report.

Existing Plans

• All of MoveOntario 2020 (not listed individually below)

Express Rail

• Regional Express corridors on the Lakeshore line from Hamilton to Oshawa; to Mississauga City Centre, Pearson Airport, downtown Brampton and Richmond Hill Centre from downtown Toronto; from Pickering through Markham, Richmond Hill Centre, Vaughan Corporate Centre, Pearson Airport, and Mississauga City Centre to midtown Oakville; and an east/west line along
  Highway 401 from Scarborough Centre to Pearson Airport/Renforth Gateway.

Commuter Rail

• Commuter rail services linkages outside the GTHA.

Metro (ie. subway)

• New metro line along Queen Street in Toronto linking with the Bloor Danforth
  subway both in the east and west areas of the city, and an Eglinton metro line
  from Kennedy station to Pearson Airport.
• Extension of the Sheppard subway to Downsview in the west and to Scarborough Town Centre in the east.
• An extension of the Scarborough Rapid Transit (SRT) to Malvern Town Centre.

Other Rapid Transit

• Two lines in Hamilton, along James Street and east/west on King Street to
  McMaster University
• An extension of the Finch line east to Seneca College.
• The Hamilton “T” line along Mohawk Road.
• Lines between Hamilton and Halton through the Waterdown area.
• A line along Dundas Street in Mississauga and Halton from Hurontario to
  Burlington.
• North/south lines from Milton to Lake Ontario and along Trafalgar Road to
  downtown Oakville.
• A link from Markham Centre to downtown Oshawa via Highway 407 East.
• A Steeles-Taunton link from York University to downtown Oshawa.
• A north/south line along Brock Road from north Pickering to downtown
  Pickering.
• A north/south line in Whitby in the Brock Street corridor.

Highways

• 407 East Extension through Durham
• HOV lane network across the GTA

There is a lot of meat here, and it will take some time to digest. We’ll see further refinement in June when the draft Regional Transportation Plan becomes available, but the ideas included in this document form the set of choices that are being carried forward at present.

I’ll have detailed analysis, with a focus on Durham, over the next few weeks as time permits.