Have you seen the map of the future of the TTC and regional service?

It is below and the link to the outline on the City of Toronto website is on the photo.

Let's talk about what would affect Scarborough.

Already underway:

1. Scarborough Subway Extension. Although I disagreed with the route and what they decided to do with the Scarborough RT, I will not condone delays or changing plans.

Planned:

1. Sheppard Subway Extension. As you can see on the map, at some point they intend to bring the Sheppard Subway to Morningside. I would support this, although I think it should not stop there. 

2. Turning the Scarborough RT into a busway. Personally I would rather the LRT on this route which then would be extended to Malvern as the RT was originally promised, but again I won't vote to delay a project. On the map you can see a BRT across Ellesmere and to Scarborough UofT campus and into Durham. This is a Metrolinx project. 

3. On the map you can see the Eglinton East LRT planned to go from Kennedy Station to Kingston Road, up Morningside to where the Sheppard Subway would end. Personally I would rather the Sheppard Subway go to Port Union/Kingston Rd/Sheppard intersection with a transit hub there going into Durham, but again if the option that is on the table is the one in the plan, I would support it.

4. The Finch-Kennedy Smart Track GO Station has been deferred. This is unfortunate as it would have given Agincourt and Malvern a reasonable GO train station to go south into the downtown area of the city. *as a side note, my client at that time owned a plaza at that location which was expropriated to make room for the station that has been postponed.*

If there was any opportunity as councillor to vote to approve the station, I would vote for it. 

On the map there is a little section that goes into Malvern, it has the same colour coding as the Eglinton LRT. I'm curious about this.

If this is their way to connect Malvern, it has a lot to be desired. 

Not on the map:

Sheppard West Subway Extension

Finch LRT Extension to the EAST

Steeles Subway

Don Mills Subway should meet at least the Sheppard East Subway

One thing I am curious about is how many people drive from Malvern to the Rouge Hill GO Station at Port Union, there is no good data for this. If a study could be done, and it is worthwhile to do, I would support an express bus service from Malvern to the Rouge Hill GO Station during rush hours that does not stop in between those two points. If viable, it would help with parking at the GO Station, save people money on parking fares, wear and tear on their car and save on gas. I would research this, and see if it could be viable.

I am well aware most of this map won't be completed in my lifetime, or maybe my son's....but I do hope they at least follow the direction, not waste money on sunk costs only to be scrapped. We have debated and debated Toronto Transit all of my life (54 years) and I don't see much more progress than when I was a teenager. Especially in Scarborough, in many ways we have less.

Here's hoping for a better future. 

Please let me know you thoughts in the comment section. 

(Information provided by City of Toronto)