Yonge North Subway Extension – TAO Suggests Alternate Route

Resident outrage over the recommended route for the Yonge North Subway Extension continues. See our post of April 27 for background. Transport Action Ontario has now suggested an alternate route, known as Option 2A. It has been submitted to Metrolinx, who have indicated they will comment back. Our submission is given below.

Hi Steve….thank you to you and the Metrolinx team for participating in the lengthy Markham Development Services Committee meeting on April 25.  It is clear there are many residents with big concerns about Option 3A.  As you recall, I offered to write up what I called “tweaked Option 2”, or Option 2A, involving a cut & cover route across Langstaff to reach an at-grade Bridge Station. You agreed to evaluate this option and report back.

This idea has been developed by Transport Action Ontario, a citizen-based NGO focusing on public transportation, of which I am currently the President. 

As a preamble, just as with Option 3A, Option 2A is not perfect.  Compromises may have to be made, including potentially a need to adjust the development plan (Secondary Plan) for the Langstaff Gateway Regional Centre. Fortunately, no recent new development has occurred at Langstaff yet, although it may be imminent.  As our ideas are very high level, feel free to adjust them to make them more workable. 
The Figures below show two route concepts. 

Option 1 – From Yonge St at the cemetery, using tight curves of 600 feet radius (same as on Line 1 at Union), we believe Bridge Station can be reached for an across-platform interchange with GO Trains.  This route would almost certainly incur a maintenance penalty. 

Option 2 – From Yonge St at the cemetery, using curves of larger radii, a point 75 meters west of Bridge Station can be reached.   This could easily be incorporated into the Station, as per the rough hand-drawn sketch. The 75 m area between the subway and the GO line would make good retail space. 

We presume that cut & cover would be used to construct this portion, so track slopes should not be an issue. The Bridge Station sketch shows the subway at one level below the at-grade GO tracks, which can readily be incorporated in the station design. The bus concourse would be one level above the tracks, as proposed in your Option 3A. 
Pomona Creek is in a culvert 3 mbg near the proposed subway crossing.   Engineering would have to figure out how to best cross this culvert (over/under) or otherwise alter the creek. If the Holy Cross Cemetery could be persuaded to allow access to a corner of parkland at their northwest corner, the curve radius could perhaps be increased. 

Transport Action Ontario looks forward to your review of theses ideas.  We will be happy to answer any questions. 
Best regards, 

Peter Miasek

President, Transport Action Ontario