Dundas West - Bloor Mobility Hub Study
Meeting notice from Metrolinx:
PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE
DUNDAS WEST-BLOOR MOBILITY HUB STUDY
Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario, is helping transform the way the region moves by championing and delivering mobility solutions for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
Background
The Big Move, Metrolinx’s Regional Transportation Plan for the GTHA, imagines a future in which key transit stations become mobility hubs. Mobility hubs consist of major transit stations and the surrounding area. They serve a critical function in the regional transportation system as the origin, destination, or transfer point for a significant portion of trips. They are places of connectivity where different modes of transportation – from walking to riding transit – come together seamlessly and where there is an intensive concentration of working, living, shopping and/or playing.
The Dundas West-Bloor Mobility Hub Study
We are conducting a study on the proposed Dundas West-Bloor Mobility Hub. The study includes the development of a plan to better integrate existing GO Transit and TTC services, as well as provide a design foundation for future major upgrades to GO Transit and TTC service, and a stop on the Union-Pearson Air Rail Link.
The study builds closely on the findings of the Bloor-Dundas Avenue Study prepared by Brook McIlroy and commissioned by the City of Toronto in 2009.
The Open House
You’re invited to attend our open house to find out more about this study.
Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Venue: Lithuanian House, 1573 Bloor Street WestInformation will be on display and there will be a brief presentation to provide an overview of the study’s goals and objectives, opportunities and constraints, and recommendations for the focus areas.
Following the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to break out into smaller groups to take part in a series of discussions and share their comments.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please call 416-581-1300.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Comments
Mobility Hub study: Materials now online
Presentation, display boards, etc. from the meeting are now posted online:
http://metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/mobilityhubs/mobility_hubs_d...
Milton trains to stop at Bloor?
It's interesting to note that Metrolinx is considering adding a stop for the Milton GO line at Bloor. Currently, the Milton trains (on the westernmost tracks) just go right through our station without stopping. This is because the Milton line already has a subway connection at Kipling Station.
This would increase the usefulness of Bloor Station - more frequent trains heading downtown, plus making the whole Milton line accessible. Though having more trains stopping and re-accelerating at Bloor would add to the noise and pollution (note that the Milton line is waaay far off in the future as far as electrification is concerned).
Source: GO Transit Rail Improvements Benefits Case Analysis (BCA), Metrolinx Board of Directors Meeting May 19, 2010.
(via Tom West's post on Steve Munro's site)
Dundas West - Bloor Mobility Hub Study
I was glad they were talking about the broader area. Referring to a potential 14 story building at Joe Mercury's as a landmark struck me as pretty silly. They had some good ideas: I liked the suggested change to the streetcar loop so it doesn't cross the pedestrian path to Bloor. Adding a walkway north of the bridge support seems good. Most of the design is probably inevitable given the constraints.
They might want to buy or get option contracts on some of the property they seem to want to use.
Despite the modest traffic projection, it does have the potential to be a bit of a gateway to the city. This could be very good for businesses in the immediate area. I hope they can make the station buildings nice.
Dundas West TTC + Bloor GO Connection
The Star has an article today about the plans:
http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/958841--go-and-ttc-ma...
Some quotes:
Read the entire article here:
http://www.thestar.com/news/transportation/article/958841--go-and-ttc-ma...
Steve Munro also covers this on his website:
http://stevemunro.ca/?p=5045
It will definitely be interesting to see more details at tomorrow's meeting.
Fun with Numbers and Tax dollars and Metrolinx
Just a bit of fun with the logic of Metrolinx numbers (which Steve Munro always calls into question).
"Only about 200 riders a day use the Bloor GO station. That number is expected to shoot up to between 500 and 1,000 for the opening day of the airport train in 2015.
By 2031, Metrolinx is projecting 2,000 riders will use the station daily."
200 people use the station now for commuting downtown mostly.
1000 people will start going to airport at 25$ bucks a pop in 2015.
Only 800 additional riders will in theory start to use the station to head downtown 15 years later?
That is a lot of money and time for 2000, maybe, people.
As most people ask, how many more people would use the station if it was electric and therefore could have additional stops at Queen, St. Clair, and further north making it a real commuter line affordable to THOUSANDS of daily commuters? Or wouldnt a downtown relief line be money better spent?
As a current comparison, 485,000 people a day use Bloor and Yonge station and many lines such as the King Streetcar line carry almost 50,000 people a day.
Makes you wonder.
Crossways Get With It
My reading of past stories shows that the Crossways has not been very cooperative with the City in terms of providing access to the Subway from the east side. (I am amazed that more people are not run over running across Dundas)I hope that finally with some pressure they will allow a hook up to the TTC and GO. It would be amazing if people could enter an access system on the east side of GO to get all the way to the TTC.
Its is sad that the Giraffe people did not buy another property or two along Bloor so they could have created easier access and helped densify the corner with a cool looking building with lots of new customers for local business an a focus on transit use.
Crossways
I know, eh? I imagine that the value of space in the Crossways would increase if they had direct subway access. The businesses in that building would also benefit if people could come right up from the subway and into their stores, rather than having to walk to the intersection and back (or jaywalk). What a difference on windy, rainy, snowy, cold, hot.... days.
Something to de-uglify Dundas West Station would be nice too, especially on the north side of the station which just provides a nice view of dumpsters and idling buses. Some good opportunities for greening and noise-reduction...
-Vic
Dundas West Station
There are young trees along there but I agree since McDonalds moved in that parking lot has become a dump.
Dundas West - Bloor Mobility Hub
This should be an interesting study to follow and participate in, as it will potentially have a major impact on the west side of the JT. A few random thoughts that I hope will be addressed: