Ontario Construction News staff writer
Metrolinx has released updated business cases for the Scarborough Subway Extension and Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, detailing how both projects will provide “significant benefits for regular commutes and special journeys by cutting travel times and expanding passenger capacity.”
Benefits noted in both reports, include:
- congestion relief on roadways by getting more people on transit
- improved connections to other major transit systems throughout the network
- creation of transit-oriented communities where people can live, work and play
- better connections to jobs, which will help spur more business investment
“A business case is a comprehensive collection of evidence and analysis that sets out the rationale for why an investment should be made,” Suniya Kukaswadia, Metrolinx senior advisor wrote in a statement. “Business cases provide evidence to decision-makers, stakeholders, and the public as a crucial part of transparent and evidence-based decision-making processes.”
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension and Scarborough Subway Extension are two of four priority projects moving forward under the Government of Ontario’s Subway Program, which will deliver much-needed rapid transit that will get thousands more people moving every day through the GTA.
Replacing TTC’s Line 3 (Scarborough RT), the $5.5-billion Scarborough Subway Extension will bring Line 2 approximately 7.8 kilometres farther into Scarborough, extending it from Kennedy Station to a new terminus at Sheppard Avenue and McCowan Road.
The three-stop extension will provide seamless travel for Scarborough residents heading into and out of the downtown core, with proposed stops at Lawrence Avenue and McCowan Road, Scarborough Centre and McCowan Road and Sheppard Avenue.
Click here for more information on the Scarborough extension.
The Eglinton Crosstown West Extension is a planned extension of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, which is currently under construction. The Province has committed to extending the line by 9.2 kilometres from the Mount Dennis LRT station to Renforth Drive in Mississauga and a future connection that is being explored with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) would extend the line another 4.7 kilometres to Pearson International Airport. The estimated cost of the project from the Initial Business Case is $4.7 billion.
Metrolinx is collaborating with the GTAA and municipal partners on the proposed alignment from Renforth Drive to the airport, which takes into account the GTAA’s plans for a future Regional Transit Centre while work continues for the segment from Mount Dennis to Renforth Drive.
See more details about the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension here.