CityNews.ca Staff
It's finally going to happen - a way for you to get to Pearson International Airport by subway. It's part of a huge transit funding announcement made on Wednesday that will forever change the way you get around in the city.
The provincial money is coming from the recently announced stimulus packages designed to get Toronto moving - and building - again. Some of the transit plans have been in the works for a while, but up until now we never knew when both the money and the go-ahead would come together.
It appears that time has arrived and the announcement covers four new distinct changes that will affect the entire the GTA.
The most significant one involves the airport, with a 30-kilometre long rapid transit line on Eglinton Ave. set to move travellers from Kennedy station to PIA. Some of the new track - from Leslie to Keele - will be underground, the rest above the surface. That part will resemble a modernized version of the current route that runs along Spadina.
It's been a cherished dream of travellers for years, because airport parking is expensive, it's often difficult to get to and navigating the maze of the giant complex can be a challenge even for those who are familiar with the layout. It's expected to be completed by 2016.
The other major Toronto project involves a new rapid transit line that will extend the Yonge subway system from Finch to Highway 27 and Humber College, and then east to Don Mills. That one should be ready in just four years.
The Scarborough LRT will also be upgraded and expanded by 2015.
And congestion in York Region will be eased by an expansion of the Viva line, featuring more buses, more stations and dedicated bus lanes. That one is about four years away from reality, too.
There will also be a study launched to find the best way to improve Hamilton's transit system.
The plans are worth a total of $9 billion and will create thousands of job. And while many had been in the background for years, there was always a lack of funds to get them started. This announcement promises shovels in the ground almost immediately.
"The projects we're announcing today are only the start," promises Premier Dalton McGuinty. "Together, we are taking a big step towards our broad vision for regional transit for the GTA. It's the most ambitious project of its kind in Canadian history."
A beaming Mayor David Miller could hardly contain his excitement about the projects, which he's been working towards for years.
"It means that no longer will someone who lives in northeast Scarborough and works in southwest Etobicoke have to spend hours taking four different modes of public transit to get from 'A' to 'B'," he proclaims. "They'll be able to navigate the city and the region quickly, efficiently and reliably."
Many commuters hope the plans - especially the airport link - flies soon. "It's a great idea and will provide easier transport for people working downtown and living downtown," praises one traveller, who had to get to Pearson some other way on Wednesday.
But while the new facilities will be welcome and most will agree they're badly needed in congestion clogged Toronto, it won't come without some pain. Those with businesses on Eglinton and Finch Aves. are bracing for disruptions that could last years as the projects are put into place.
"I think it's a great idea," admits Larry Visiladis of Alexis Hair Design on Eglinton. "The only concern I have is how long this will take and how much disruption with the neighbourhood while the construction is going on."
McGuinty admits it will be tough for a while. "I think we have to be honest at the outset. No way we do this without creating some disruption."
But at the other end, those businesses will suddenly find themselves on a subway line and that may increase traffic because their stores will be easier to reach. If they can survive the long construction it takes to reach that point.
For more goto to johnathanvrozos.ca Johnathan Vrozos
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Great detailed article by Johnathan Vrozos
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