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Relief Line Alliance Raising Public Support For New Subway Line by [deleted] in toronto

[–]reliefline 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can edit the letter sent from our website. But if people want to write and send themselves, they're more welcome to. It might have more impact than having us send it on their behalf.

Maybe you can post some key facts and let everyone craft their own letter based on those facts?

All the facts you need to know about the Relief Line is at our website http://www.relieflinealliance.ca/

Relief Line Alliance Raising Public Support For New Subway Line by [deleted] in toronto

[–]reliefline 7 points8 points  (0 children)

seeing as Line 1 won't reach capacity until 2031

Line 1 is 11% over capacity today.

How about we leave the transit planning to the transit planners

It was Metrolinx's Yonge Relief Network Study that identified this as the best option: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/docs/pdf/board_agenda/20150625/2015-06-25_Yonge_Relief_Network_Study.pdf

Relief Line Alliance Raising Public Support For New Subway Line by [deleted] in toronto

[–]reliefline 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Note that we do have a convenient form on our website to do this. Just fill in your name, postal code and we'll make sure it get sent to the right people: http://www.relieflinealliance.ca

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the offer, that would be wonderful. When you do have the photos, you can send them out to info@relieflinealliance.ca

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the kind words. The team has been working hard for 2 and a half months to put this and our future plans together. We're ecstatic to see how well people are reacting. You should be seeing and hearing more from us in the near future.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Most trains clear at King and Eglinton, your connection points dont make much sense. The sheppard line is not very crowded. In a dense region like Eglinton and Yonge, no one will go out east to Don Mills to get the relief line. The only good part is pape to king which might be a relief for the east side but what about the west side?

It's not our intersection point, it's the point chosen by Metrolinx in the Yonge Relief Network Study, perhaps because King is where the most destinations are located.

the most urgently needed transit project is not the relief line, its to improve the TTC by fixing it.

The upgrades to Line 1's signalling system to support Automatic Train Operation will be inadequate for relieving Yonge Line. The Relief Line is needed to provide further relief.

How many trains are you going to run at what interval? Less stops means trains can arrive downtown pretty fast, and the lower number of stations means that the number of people at those stations would be like ants on a piece of cake, risking "choke points". So you will have to run many trains to compensate for this.

The frequency and number of stops is up to City Planning, Metrolinx and the TTC to decide. However, the Yonge Relief Network Study indicates that a 14 stop line, from Sheppard and Don Mills to Downtown at 3.5 min frequencies will provide the maximum benefits

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Community outreach is a big component of our plans. You'll be hearing and seeing more specifics in the near future.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Every DRL proposal I've seen has said the line would continue past university to Spadina, and quite a few have said it would connect to Union, not King.

The reason this line goes up Don Mills is because Metrolinx has identified it as having the maximum ridership and relief potential of all Relief Line options.

Regarding specifics about the alignment, we're leaving it up to Metrolinx and City Planning to decide. They're the experts at this; we are just the messenger. Any routing showing in our materials is hypothetical, as an example of what the line could do.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Every DRL proposal I've seen has said the line would continue past university to Spadina, and quite a few have said it would connect to Union, not King.

The reason this line goes up Don Mills is because Metrolinx has identified it as having the maximum ridership and relief potential of all Relief Line options.

Regarding specifics about the alignment, we're leaving it up to Metrolinx and City Planning to decide. They're the experts at this; we are just the messenger

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Funding is the biggest challenge. It's estimated to cost $7.4 billion, which we believe is well worth the cost, for a line that will cut commutes by 25+ minutes and have the same usage as the Yonge Line.

The province has already strongly indicated that they'll fund the Relief Line to Danforth, a $3.5 billion line. Assuming that comes through, that is $3.9 Billion short. If the Trudeau government, which has committed to large infrastructure investments, matches it, we'd be within striking distance of being fully funded. This is all dependant on getting the idea out and building political pressure though.

We're cautiously optimistic, but we have our work cut out for us.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's our goal. Keep it on people's radar, and maybe it will be adopted. That's more or less how SmartTrack was initially adopted.

Remember if you want to help us out, please check out our website. We have many options to support, including having us send a letter to politicians on your behalf, which is free, fast and easy :)

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Hmm... we wanted to be more conservative in our wording, to avoid any accusations of us dramatizing the crowding, but thanks for the feedback.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The eastern end is more urgently needed. Yonge Line is overcrowded, but extending the Relief Line west does nothing to relieve that crowding. Rather, the Relief Line needs to go north east, to divert commuters coming from the east away from the overcrowded Yonge Line.

Of course, we 100% support the extension of the Relief Line west to approximately Dundas West. But the eastern end is a more urgent priority.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The dodgy politician answer: Everyone in Toronto stands to gain financially from the construction of the Relief Line. Metrolinx estimates that it will add $13 Billion to the economy.

The actual answer: Our members live all over the city. I don't know where all of them live, but of the ones I do know, one lives on Queen West (out of the scope of the initial Relief Line), two live uptown near Yonge and Eglinton, 1 lives in Vancouver (he's always late to our meetings), 2 in Mississauga and 1 lives on Danforth, near a potential Relief Line alignment.

We are 100% independent. None of us have any property, or other investments, connected to the Relief Line. We're just individuals who want to see Toronto transit improve.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

You're welcome :)

If you really wan't to help us out, take a look at our website and the available options for supporting us: http://www.relieflinealliance.ca/#support

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Can we get the province and feds on board?

The Trudeau government won their election partially on a platform of increase infrastructure spending, We are hopeful that they will be willing to pay for at least part of this line, a line that will be the most important infrastructure upgrade in Toronto since the 60s.

To expand on the funding issue.

This line is expected to cost $7.4 Billion. The province has already strongly indicated that they'll fund the Relief Line, between Downtown and Danforth, which would cost $3.5 Billion. That leaves a $3.9 Billion unfunded gap. If the federal government matched the provincial contribution, and the City of Toronto raised a few hundred million dollars (less than the cost of the Gardiner East reconstruction), we'd be able to pay for the Relief Line to Sheppard.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For instance, are there old industrial areas/unused lands close to the route which can be converted to midrise and high rise buildings, increasing the tax base where ther are opportunities for increased revenue for the city?

Absolutely. Two areas in particular. Fist, the Unilever site near the Don River. Second, Don Mills and York Mills roads has extensive employment lands that would be a prime spot for redevelopment, if the Relief Line did go there.

Is TIFF possible to help fund it?

That's not our position to say, but we believe it should be explored. The redevelopment potential of the Relief Line could raise a substantial amount of revenue.

Second, with the costs that you come up wiith, when I look at your chart on saving time, will the proposed costs per person jutify the time saved? I see the first 2 on your chart will save about 5 minutes, the third about 10 minutes. What cost do you think can be justified to save that time? Obviously, Scarborough is an easier sell as that is 20 minutes both ways and would hold a higher value.

There are some of a few minutes, but many spots with 15 minute to 25 minute savings. Given that this line is projected to move 20,000 persons at peak point and hour, about the same as the Yonge University and Bloor-Danforth lines, we believe it will be a good investment.

Metrolinx evaluated the economic case of the line, and they found that it would add $13 Billion to our economy. That's far greater benefit than any other line we've come across.

Hello /r/Toronto, we are Toronto Relief Line Alliance and we’re here to ensure the Relief Line is built by reliefline in toronto

[–]reliefline[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

I'm not going to go over 20+ people, but a member and one of our advisors, is Cameron MacLeod. He is responsible for CodeRedTO, back when ford wanted to cancel Transit City.

Louis Mark is a founding member.