Public Transit’s Exciting Moves Will Create Over 100,000 Jobs

Public Transit in Ontario, Canada,  is moving forward with much excitement and many benefits for both Ontarians and Torontonians.

The Ontario government, Metrolinx and the Mayor of Toronto have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding the expansion of new rapid transit services in Toronto.

The expansion and improvement of public transit will:

• create over 100,000 jobs in Ontario
• help commuters get to work and home quicker
• support future growth
• reduce traffic congestion
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• improve the air quality of Ontario and Toronto

Legend to the Toronto Transit Plan map above :

Here are the highlights of the Toronto Transit Plan.

• Ontario, through Metrolinx, will be responsible for building the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT)

• It will be a single LRT line running about 25 kilometres from Black Creek Drive to Scarborough City Centre.

• The line will be largely underground from Black Creek to Kennedy, then partially elevated from Kennedy to the Scarborough City Centre.

• Toronto would extend the Sheppard Subway to Downsview station in the west and Scarborough City Centre in the east, incorporating the project into the TTC subway system.

• Toronto would also introduce and operate an enhanced bus service between the new Finch West subway station and Humber College.

• The Sheppard Subway extension will be 13 kilometres in length and have 9 new stations.

• The LRT line will have up to 26 station stops and will operate largely below ground along Eglinton and along the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit right-of-way.

Please note that Ontario is contributing $8.4 billion to the revised Toronto transit plan.

Also, the City “will be harnessing the private sector using innovative financing methods to fund the Sheppard Subway extension.”

Please click here to find out what other transit plans are in the works for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

Eventually, will commuters have to pay more for public transportation?

Which will be better, the TTC way or paying the exorbitant cost of car gas plus the Toronto parking lot fees?

I would love to receive your comments below this blog.

Ontario, Canada: Newsroom

News Release

Ontario And Toronto Moving Forward On Public Transit

March 31, 2011

Public Transit Investment Will Create Over 100,000 Jobs

Premier Dalton McGuinty and Mayor Rob Ford have reached a deal on a revised transit plan that will create jobs and help keep the city moving.

Ontario, through Metrolinx, will be responsible for building the Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) which will be a single LRT line running about 25 kilometres from Black Creek Drive to Scarborough City Centre. The line will be largely underground from Black Creek to Kennedy, then partially elevated from Kennedy to the Scarborough City Centre.

Under the new plan, Toronto would extend the Sheppard Subway to Downsview station in the west and Scarborough City Centre in the east, incorporating the project into the TTC subway system. Toronto would also introduce and operate an enhanced bus service between the new Finch West subway station and Humber College.

Improving public transit will create jobs, help commuters get to work and home quicker and support future growth.

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