Submission to Metrolinx on Eglinton LRT - East End. Response to December 2012 Public Meeting

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Virgil Fisher
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1 Submission to Metrolinx on Eglinton LRT - East End Project Response to December 2012 Public Meeting Prepared by: Cycle Toronto, cycleto.ca Authors: John Taranu, Michael Black January 21,

Introduction This submission is a response to the public consultations for the Eglinton LRT East End Alignment (Laird Dr to Don Valley Parkway Environmental Project Report Addendum Online

2 Introduction This submission is a response to the public consultations for the Eglinton LRT East End Alignment (Laird Dr to Don Valley Parkway Environmental Project Report Addendum Online Consultation). Concerns Surface Bike Lanes We are concerned about the impact that moving the LRT line underground will have to the surface roadway between Laird Dr and the Don Valley Parkway. The original Transit City Environmental Assessment included surface bicycle lanes from the Brentcliffe LRT tunnel portal to the DVP. This section of Eglinton Ave currently suffers from high traffic speeds and is dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. Map of cycling collisions along Eglinton, including fatality at Eglinton Ave, West of Leslie St in years/article543684/ 2

3 There are no direct cycle routes running along secondary roads parallel to Eglinton that may serve as a safe alternative to bike lanes on Eglinton itself. The only route that comes close to fulfilling this function is along Overlea Blvd., which suffers from high collision rates. Eglinton Ave between Brentcliffe and Bayview is notoriously prone to automobile collisions. Bike lanes along the Laird to Don Mills Rd. section of Eglinton are crucial in providing a safe connection for cyclists between the old City of Toronto s midtown area and the suburban Don Mills area. With an underground alignment, the Eglinton Ave bridge west of Leslie St will not be widened. This will make it considerably more difficult to install bike lanes on the bridge. Similarly, the Eglinton Ave underpass at the CPR railway west of Leslie St will not be widened. This will also make it more difficult to install bike lanes under the bridge. The narrow section of Eglinton Ave west of Leslie, where the Westbound roadway narrows from three lanes to two, is especially problematic for cyclists. An experienced middle-aged cyclist was killed here in 2006 when he was rear-ended by a cement truck and dragged under its wheels 2. Without safe cycling infrastructure on Eglinton it will be hazardous for cyclists to travel from Leslie and the West Don to the LRT station at Laird. With an underground alignment, there will be no opportunity to widen or reconfigure this section of Eglinton to make it safer for cyclists. Proposed closure of Leslie Station We are especially concerned about losing Leslie Station. This has the possibility of breaking the connections to the West Don trail system, Sunnybrook Park, as well as the employment lands along Leslie, and a possible connection to the Don Mills Railtrail (Leaside Trail). Without Leslie Station, cyclists wanting to connect to the TTC will have to ride up the challenging, dangerous hill to Laird station, a 1km distance from Leslie

Map of Cycling Infrastructure near Eglinton and Leslie, showing Don Valley Trail [45] and Leaside Railtrail 3, which will soon be connected at its south end to Leslie St.

4 Map of Cycling Infrastructure near Eglinton and Leslie, showing Don Valley Trail [45] and Leaside Railtrail 3, which will soon be connected at its south end to Leslie St. The original (2010) plans for the Crosstown LRT 4 call for 43 stations, separated from each other by an average of about 500 m. This roughly conforms to the standards of the Bloor-Danforth subway line. The LRT mode is even better suited than subway to providing local service. Elimination of the Leslie (and Ferrand Stations) will shift the Crosstown LRT away from the local function to which it is best suited. The gap between Laird and Don Mills stations will be over 2 kilometres City of Toronto Cycling Map,

5 Cancellation of the Leslie (and Ferrand) stations will create significant gaps in the stretch between the Laird and the Wynford stations. This will have the effect of turning the Crosstown LRT into a regional transit service where station separation is too great to ensure adequate local service comparable to what buses currently provide. In the future, continuing to run buses along parts of Eglinton Ave. in order to supplement gaps in regional LRT service begs the question of why the LRT is being constructed in the first place. Without Leslie station, TTC buses will be routed to Laird Station instead, adding to the traffic congestion on Eglinton Ave. If the bus priority lanes on Eglinton are retained, they will make it considerably more difficult to fit in safe cycling infrastructure like bike lanes. If Leslie and Ferrand stations are not built, additional bicycle parking will be needed at the Laird and Don Mills stations. The potential of Leslie Street is not fully realized. Inevitably, the low and medium-rise corporate buildings that line Leslie will be replaced with denser development. An LRT station at Leslie will invigorate the whole area. Metrolinx claims that the substantial parkland surrounding the proposed Leslie station location will inhibit growth in potential LRT traffic. This conservative projection overlooks the investments in, and the expansion of, the Don trail system. A station at Leslie would be the prime entry point into the Don trails in this part of Toronto. Furthermore, many visitors to Edwards Gardens and Sunnybrook who presently drive to these locations will find it more convenient to take transit, providing that they can use a station at Leslie St. Map of City of Toronto s Bikeway Trails Implementation Plan showing upcoming connections to Leaside Trail and Don Valley trail system 5

6 Proposed cancellation of Ferrand Station While development is currently sparse in the immediate vicinity of the proposed Ferrand Station site, a dense group of high and medium-rise residential buildings is located 200 m. south of Eglinton. If a north/ south LRT line is built along Don Mills Road, then the vicinity near Ferrand will also see great changes, including greater densification. It is tremendously shortsighted to be cancelling rapid transit stations in close proximity to a major future mobility hub. Instead, we should be aiming to improve the infrastructure surrounding a regional nexus point. Don Mills and Eglinton is the single most dangerous intersection in the city. 5 By moving the LRT station underground, the street level will not be improved to make it safer for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists. Don Mills Station If the Ferrand station is eliminated, then the approaches to Don Mills station must be made safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Is Metrolinx incorporating any features in the station design to facilitate the future, construction of the Don Mills LRT line? This mobility hub is eventually going to be one the busiest Crosstown stations, with lots of bikes. Will there be a connection between the Don Mills station and the Gatineau Hydro Corridor, which runs about 600 m. south of Eglinton? How can cyclists travel to the employment / retail lands north of Eglinton? Will there be a left turn to Gervais Dr? Or do we use Don Mills to Wynford? The DVP ramps leading off of Eglinton need to be made safer for both cyclists and pedestrians Rationale for relocation of launch site Extending the buried section of the Crosstown LRT from Brentcliffe to Don Mills Road has mostly negative implications for cycling, road safety and the Eglinton streetscape. Whereas these impacts will be felt for decades, Metrolinx has justified its decision to tunnel for reasons of convenience that will be valid only during the 28-month construction period. Long-term safety of the populace should be given greater weight in decision-making than short-term convenience for Metrolinx. Metrolinx has cited various additional burdens that surface routing would impose at a Brentcliffe launch site: to the south, the foundations of a condo development would have to be shored up. In reply, we would mention that temporary shoring of condo foundations is common, especially in the downtown where high-rise building construction often is 5 6

7 squeezed into narrow lots. Implementation of this protective measure is routine in Toronto. Construction noise issues may indeed exist. It must be noted, however, that residents of the new condos were at all times aware that their buildings are located near LRT construction activity. Traffic would be disrupted. We would ask the question: on the entire Crosstown line, at what station or launch site location will construction NOT disrupt local traffic? Soil contamination issues. Remediating contaminated soil is often necessitated by projects that pass through land that was formerly industrial. Customary remediation procedures do not present any undue challenges we are not dealing with the decommissioning of a nuclear power plant. Slope stability issues north of Eglinton, near Brentcliffe. Again, engineering expertise is available to address this problem, which surely is insignificant compared to, say, stabilizing railway routes through mountain passes. Metrolinx has provided no comparative cost estimates. Nonetheless, we assume that the additional expense of tunnelling from Brentcliffe to Don Mills Rd. as opposed to building a surface route is far greater than the cost of remediating the above-noted five problems that Metrolinx cites as its reasons for going underground. Recommendations If the cancellation of two stations is needed to cover the cost of the additional tunnelling, then this sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the Crosstown LRT project and indeed, the Finch and Sheppard LRT lines as well where local service is sacrificed for the creation of a highspeed express line. We propose the following recommendations: 1 A full cost assessment be undertaken for this proposed change. 2 Metrolinx adhere to its original plan to construct the LRT at surface grade between Laird and just west of Don Mills Station. 3 The approved bike lanes from Brentcliffe Dr to Don Valley Parkway should be retained regardless of the alignment of the LRT line. The roadway right-of-way is over 40m wide in this area, and can easily accommodate safe cycling infrastructure. 4 In future community consultations, feedback should be obtained from the public as to the preferred function of the Crosstown LRT line, especially focusing on whether priority should be given to comprehensive local service, or to express regional service. 7

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